Reform UK's mayoral candidate for Greater Manchester, Sian Astley, has defended her controversial remarks suggesting that Green voters, 'uniparty' MPs and councillors should accommodate "illegal criminals, rapists and economic chancers". Astley, who currently leads the Reform group on Manchester Council, stated that those advocating for open borders are "opening up this country" to such individuals.
Astley's Comments and Defense
In a Facebook post shared in May, Astley wrote: "How very democratic a policy. You get what you vote for. Personally I’d just ensure the Green voters, uniparty MPs (present or past) and Cllrs house the illegal criminals, rapists and economic chancers, so it’s nice of Reform UK to offer to build accommodation instead." The post referenced a Reform UK policy on migrant detention centres, announced by home affairs spokesman Zia Yusuf, which stated that detention centres would not be built in constituencies held by Reform MPs or where the party controls the local authority. Instead, Green voters would "get what they vote for" under mass deportations.
Speaking exclusively to the Manchester Evening News, Astley stood by her comments. "If you are an advocate for open borders then you are opening up this country to exactly that - criminals, economic chancers, rapists," she said. "That’s not me making that up. That is evidenced by court cases and incidents across the UK." She added that her remark was "a little bit of tongue in cheek" and that critics are "getting angry about the wrong thing."
Green Party Response
A spokesperson for the Green Party condemned the comments, stating: "This underlines the divisive nature of Reform. No compassion, no humanity, just hatred and division. They are obviously realising their hatred isn’t welcome in Greater Manchester, as they have asked their campaigners to focus on arguing with a man with a bin on his head in Clacton instead."
Background on Astley
Astley is standing for Reform in the Greater Manchester mayoral by-election, triggered by Andy Burnham's resignation after being elected as Makerfield MP. She was elected to Manchester Council's Baguley ward last May with a 423-vote majority. A long-standing south Manchester landlady, she runs a design and property business and has appeared as an expert on property and renovation. She has promised to "open up the books on contracts Andy Burnham awarded during his time as Labour’s Mayor" if elected.
The Manchester Evening News' full interview with Astley will be available in the coming days.
