Dudley MP Marco Longhi has sparked controversy by suggesting that 'immigrants who do not adopt British values' contribute to the problem of tipping. The Tory MP, who previously told his staff not to help asylum seekers, believes immigration is having a negative impact on the environment in parts of Dudley.
He pointed to the Saint Thomas neighborhood as a place where residents have lost their sense of pride in their environment. According to Birmingham LiveIn a Facebook post, Mr Longhi said: “The St Thomas area is the most polluted and littered area in Dudley.
“However, this was not always the case. A few decades ago, people in the area were proud of their local community. What has changed?
'A long-term effect of immigration is to create parallel cultures and values that are at odds with our British values.
“This has led to neglected areas where people completely ignore their local communities and live in conditions you would not expect in modern Britain.”
According to Mr Longhi, although many immigrants have successfully integrated into the 'British way of life', they have 'no fundamental respect for our area'.
Dudley's Labor leader, Cllr Pete Lowe, could not hold back in his fierce condemnation of Mr Longhi. He accused the MP of diverting attention from major cuts imposed by the Conservative government on council funding, especially with a general election looming. “This time our desperate MP for Dudley is trying to blame tipping on the local 'environmental impact of immigration', conveniently avoiding the £122 million cut to Dudley's national budget, and the failure of our local Tory council of a plan to tackle and prosecute immigration. those responsible.”
“My Britain is a culture of unity, where we celebrate our diversity and avoid scapegoating to excuse our own shortcomings. “To be clear, it is the Tory government and council who have brought this blight on our communities and it is for them that we are seeking to provide the funding and support to tackle this.”
Cllr Lowe did not hesitate to denounce Mr Longhi and eagerly awaited the chance to 'clear the streets of him' at the next general election. Mr Longhi disagreed with Lowe's position, arguing: “I do not agree that it is a 'failure of the council' to address this issue. If you walk around the St. Thomas ward and walk around any other ward within my constituency, you will see a big difference. “
“Tipping also happens elsewhere, of course. But the difference between the areas is big. “There is almost no respect for public space and neighbors in many areas in the St. Thomas district.”
Cllr Damian Corfield, Dudley Council's Conservative cabinet member for environmental services, said: 'I have increased fines to the maximum level allowed by the government and we have state-of-the-art camera coverage across the borough. ashamed and severely fined.”
In February, the government unveiled a funding package that will deliver £60 billion for council estates in the next financial year. Michael Gove MP, Secretary of Leveling Up, said: “This funding package represents an increase of over nine per cent for councils on last year, ensuring a fair deal for local government that reflects the vital work of works councils to to provide important services that we all rely on.”