Shabana Mahmood says she wants to distinguish between far-right extremism and legitimate local concerns over asylum sites

 

UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has strongly condemned anti-asylum activist Daniel Thomas (known as "Danny Tommo"), calling him a "far-right and outright racist" who will face the "full force of the law" if his organization, the Patriot Platform, commits any crimes

The intervention follows a symbolic referendum where residents of Piddington, Oxfordshire, voted 285 to 26 to "leave the UK" in protest of a planned asylum facility at a nearby former defense site . Thomas subsequently visited the village and claimed thousands of his masked followers could descend on the area to block the arrival of male asylum seekers

Key Details from the Report

• Extremism vs. Local Concerns: Mahmood emphasized the need to distinguish between the "reasonable anxiety" of local residents and far-right extremists who are "hijacking" community issues to sow division
• Reassurance on Local Resources: To alleviate fears regarding pressure on local services, the Home Secretary stated that the facility would be relatively self-contained, drawing on successful management models used at other large sites like Wethersfield and Crowborough
• Wider Community Anxiety: Mahmood noted that concerns over asylum accommodation are not unique to rural villages, pointing out that inner-city areas—including her own Birmingham constituency—face similar anxieties regarding houses of multiple occupation (HMOs)
• Local Response: Piddington parish councillor Joe Marshall confirmed Thomas made a private visit to the village for a tour, though he noted it was unclear if residents actually wanted any "security assistance" from masked individuals