The Derbyshire spa town of Buxton, nestled in the Peak District, has become an unlikely flashpoint in the national debate over illegal migration, with nearly a third of residents backing Reform UK in local elections despite the area housing no asylum seekers. Home Office figures show that almost 103,000 asylum seekers are housed in hotels across the UK, but none in the High Peak Borough Council area, which includes Buxton.
Ian Howarth, landlord of the Queen's Head Hotel, noted a generational split in attitudes toward Reform UK. 'The younger crowd are very much against [Reform] while the older crowd are very much for them,' he told the BBC. Robert Stordy, 74, voiced concerns about newcomers using local facilities: 'It puts pressure on local doctors, local services.'
Sixth former Elliot offered a contrasting view, suggesting that asylum seekers come to the UK because 'they've got no other choice'. 'Their only hope is to get away from the horrible things happening where they've come from and we're treating them like they're not welcome,' he said.
Melandra Smith, a newly elected Reform UK councillor for Buxton, said plans to convert a 274-room student hall into asylum seeker accommodation—dropped in 2024—had been a 'wake-up call' for locals. She added that residents worry other unused buildings might become dispersal centres, a fear she described as 'sometimes a little bit irrational'.
Illegal immigration remains a top voter concern nationwide, according to YouGov, and Buxton's anxiety reflects this trend despite its distance from Dover. The Labour government has defended its record, with the Prime Minister's spokesperson citing a 13% increase in returns and a 15% cut in asylum costs since the election.
