Reform Greater Manchester candidate criticised over ‘migrant rapists’ comments

Sian Astley had posted on Facebook: ‘I’d ensure the Green voters, uniparty MPs … and Cllrs house the illegal criminals, rapists and economic chancers.’ Photograph: Reform UK View image in fullscreen Sian Astley had posted on Facebook: ‘I’d ensure the Green voters, uniparty MPs … and Cllrs house the illegal criminals, rapists and economic chancers.’ Photograph: Reform UK Reform Greater Manchester candidate criticised over ‘migrant rapists’ comments Sian Astley doubles down on stance that people who advocate open borders should have to house ‘criminals and rapists’ who enter UK UK politics live – latest updates The Reform UK candidate in the Greater Manchester mayoral race has been criticised by her political rivals after doubling down on her comments that voters for other parties should have to house criminals and rapists. Sian Astley, a property businesswoman, initially made the comments in a Facebook post in she which shared her party’s pledge that a Reform government would prioritise placing migrant detention centres in areas where the Green party had an MP or controlled the local council. Under the policy, announced in May by the party’s home affairs spokesperson, Zia Yusuf, no such facilities would be placed in areas with a Reform-controlled council or MP. As well as sharing the policy, she posted: “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 Labour party chair, Anna Turley, criticised Astley, saying Reform’s “grotesque policy” revealed what she described as the party’s contempt for all voters, including their own. “By backing this proposal, Reform’s candidate has shown she shares Nigel Farage’s view that communities should be rewarded or punished based on how they vote. Threatening to punish places where people don’t vote your way is a betrayal of basic democratic principles,” she added. Rather than backing down, Astley this week told the Manchester Evening News that she stood by her comments , insisting that those who advocate open borders were opening up the country to “exactly that – criminals, economic chancers, rapists”. “So, I’m sorry, but if people are attacking me for being angry about that, and for suggesting that – a little bit of tongue in cheek ‘well if you voted for it why don’t you have it?’ – comment, then really they’re getting angry about the wrong thing.” Reform activists urged to switch focus from Manchester to Farage’s Clacton contest Read more Labour’s candidate, Bev Craig, is the favourite to win the mayoral byelection on 30 July . The contest was triggered after the mayor Andy Burnham won the parliamentary byelection in Makerfield and is expected to become the leader of the Labour party and prime minister this summer. Astley, who is the leader of the Reform group on Manchester city council,