A Green Party councillor says she and her grandchildren have made Valentine’s cards for asylum seekers staying at a controversial migrant camp. Councillor Anne Cross, from East Sussex County Council, said she plans to give the cards to men at the Crowborough site over the weekend.
Migrants last month began moving into accommodation on the military camp where the Home Office plans to house up to 500 men as it aims to end the use of asylum hotels. The move has sparked opposition from locals in the area, with hundreds taking part in a large-scale protest through the town in response. Cllr Cross made her comments about the cards during a recent council meeting.
The Home Office plans to house up to 500 male asylum seekers at the Crowborough training camp (Image: Getty)
“My grandchildren and I painted some cards – Valentine’s Cards – at the weekend which we are going to be presenting to the men in the camp in Crowborough as a welcome,” she said, as first reported by Guido Fawkes.
Local Conservative MP and Deputy Speaker of the Commons Nusrat Ghani said the remarks were “disturbing”.
She said on X: “How is it that Wealden councillors don’t have time or courage to meet with MPs or community over the asylum seekers in Crowborough, but have time to get kids to make Valentine’s cards and deliver to single adult men – strangers.
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“It’s just disturbing, highly irresponsible and with no regard for safeguarding.
Around 27 men moved into the accommodation at Crowborough army camp in late January.
It is one of two military sites the Government announced last year that it would use to house asylum seekers, along with Cameron Barracks in Inverness in the Highlands.
During a visit to the site, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood vowed to defend any legal challenge “vigorously”.
The Crowborough accommodation has 24/7 security with CCTV and strict sign-in processes for residents, the Home Office said.
They will also have completed health and police checks before arriving at the base.
A Green Party councillor has sparked a fierce political controversy after revealing that she and her grandchildren had made Valentine’s Day cards for asylum seekers living at a former military camp in Crowborough, East Sussex. The unusual gesture, described as a welcome initiative, has triggered questions about safeguarding, parental responsibility and the growing divide between local communities and politicians over Britain’s asylum accommodation policies.
The councillor, Anne Cross, who represents the Green Party on East Sussex County Council, reportedly spoke about the initiative during a council meeting. She explained that she and her grandchildren had spent time painting Valentine’s Day cards and intended to present them to the men staying at the Crowborough accommodation site.
Her comments quickly attracted attention, particularly because the intended recipients were adult male asylum seekers whom the children did not personally know. While Cross presented the activity as an act of kindness and welcome, critics questioned whether involving young children in delivering Valentine’s cards to unfamiliar adult men was appropriate.
The reaction was particularly strong from Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani, who represents the area and expressed serious concerns about the decision. She described the initiative as disturbing and irresponsible, arguing that the involvement of children raised important safeguarding questions.
Ghani also criticised local representatives for what she viewed as misplaced priorities. She questioned why councillors had not made sufficient efforts to meet concerned residents and MPs to discuss the asylum accommodation arrangements, while finding time to organise a Valentine’s Day activity involving children.
Her intervention quickly turned the story into a wider political dispute. What might otherwise have been a small community gesture became another flashpoint in Britain’s increasingly heated debate over immigration and the government’s handling of asylum seekers.
The controversy comes against the background of growing tensions in Crowborough, where the decision to use a former military training facility to accommodate asylum seekers has generated considerable opposition.
The accommodation site was selected as part of the government’s wider effort to reduce its reliance on hotels for people awaiting decisions on their asylum applications. Ministers have repeatedly argued that hotel accommodation is expensive and that alternative arrangements are needed to reduce pressure on taxpayers.
However, the decision to bring hundreds of adult male asylum seekers to the Crowborough area has not been welcomed by everyone. Residents have raised concerns about security, the suitability of the site and the potential impact on local services.
Plans have indicated that the facility could eventually accommodate more than 500 men between the ages of 18 and 65. The first group of residents began arriving in January 2026, with reports initially indicating that approximately 27 asylum seekers had been housed there.
The arrival of the first residents prompted protests, with thousands of people reportedly taking part in demonstrations in the town. Campaigners argued that local communities should have been properly consulted before such a significant decision was made.
For many residents, the issue is not simply about immigration numbers. They want reassurance that appropriate security arrangements are in place, that local infrastructure will not be overwhelmed and that their concerns will be taken seriously by elected representatives.
Against this background, the Valentine’s Day cards became an especially sensitive subject.
Supporters of Cross’s initiative argue that welcoming asylum seekers is an expression of basic human compassion. They believe that people fleeing conflict, persecution and dangerous circumstances should not automatically be treated with suspicion.
From this perspective, a handmade card is a simple gesture intended to make people feel less isolated while they wait for decisions about their future. Supporters also argue that children can learn valuable lessons about kindness, tolerance and understanding people from different backgrounds.
Cross reportedly defended the initiative by suggesting that personal interaction and hearing people’s stories could help reduce fear within communities. She has also indicated that similar welcoming activities are not unusual among schools and organisations supporting refugees.
Nevertheless, critics insist that good intentions do not automatically make every activity appropriate.
Their central concern is the involvement of children in an interaction with unfamiliar adult men. They argue that parents and guardians should have a clear understanding of any activity involving children and that safeguarding procedures must always come first.
For these critics, the question is not whether asylum seekers deserve kindness or whether children should learn compassion. Rather, it is whether Valentine’s Day cards are an appropriate way to encourage contact between young children and unrelated adult strangers.
They also believe that politicians should recognise the difference between welcoming vulnerable individuals and dismissing legitimate concerns raised by local families.
The debate has exposed a wider disagreement about the responsibilities of elected representatives. Should councillors concentrate on encouraging integration and positive relationships, or should their first priority be addressing the concerns of residents who feel that decisions are being imposed on their communities?
Many residents believe the latter has not received enough attention.
They argue that local authorities should provide clear information about accommodation arrangements, security measures and the responsibilities of the Home Office. They also want meaningful opportunities to question officials and receive answers about how the facility will operate.
The Green Party, meanwhile, has traditionally placed considerable emphasis on human rights, refugee protection and welcoming people fleeing dangerous circumstances. Its supporters argue that political leaders should challenge hostility towards migrants and promote a more compassionate approach.
However, the party’s position can become controversial when national principles meet the practical concerns of individual communities.
The Crowborough dispute illustrates this challenge particularly clearly. A gesture intended to demonstrate solidarity has instead become another source of disagreement between residents, politicians and campaigners.
There is also a separate controversy involving schools and Valentine’s Day activities for asylum seekers. In previous initiatives, pupils were encouraged to create anonymous welcome messages for refugees and people seeking asylum.
Some critics claimed that children were being encouraged to send romantic messages to adult migrants. Organisers disputed that interpretation, explaining that the messages were general expressions of welcome rather than personal romantic cards.
The distinction became important in a subsequent investigation. In April 2026, the Charity Commission cleared City of Sanctuary UK following complaints about its Schools of Sanctuary programme. The regulator found that allegations suggesting children had been instructed to write personal Valentine’s cards to adult asylum seekers were misleading.
That separate finding does not automatically settle the debate surrounding Cross’s personal initiative with her grandchildren. However, it demonstrates how quickly discussions about refugee support can become distorted when different activities and claims are treated as though they are identical.
The wider political consequences could also be significant.
Immigration has become one of the most divisive issues in British politics, with Labour under pressure to demonstrate that it can control the asylum system while maintaining its commitments to humanitarian protection.
Opposition parties have repeatedly criticised the government’s use of taxpayer-funded accommodation and questioned whether local communities have sufficient influence over decisions affecting their areas.
Reform UK is likely to view controversies such as this as evidence supporting its argument that established political parties are out of touch with public concerns. The Conservatives may also use the issue to demand stronger consultation, clearer safeguarding arrangements and greater transparency from local authorities.
For Labour, the situation presents another difficult challenge. Although the councillor involved belongs to the Green Party rather than Labour, the controversy is taking place within the wider political environment created by the government’s asylum accommodation policies.
Ministers must find ways to reduce accommodation costs without creating unnecessary conflict with communities. They must also ensure that people seeking asylum are treated fairly and that decisions about accommodation are made responsibly.
Ultimately, the argument surrounding the Valentine’s Day cards raises questions that extend well beyond one councillor and one community.
Children should be encouraged to show kindness, but safeguarding must remain a fundamental priority. Asylum seekers should be treated with dignity, but local residents should also be listened to when they raise concerns about decisions affecting their neighbourhoods.
These principles should not be mutually exclusive.
The real challenge for politicians is finding a way to balance compassion with responsibility, without turning vulnerable people or local families into instruments of political conflict.
As tensions continue in Crowborough, residents will want more than symbolic gestures. They will expect clear answers, meaningful consultation and reassurance that their concerns are being taken seriously.
For Anne Cross, what was intended as a welcoming gesture has become a national talking point. For her critics, it represents a worrying example of politicians failing to understand the sensitivities surrounding children and safeguarding.
And for the wider British public, the controversy is another reminder of how deeply divided the country remains over immigration, community responsibility and the future of the asylum system.