Caution against use of ‘inflammatory language’ amid tensions over Snowdonia asylum seeker hotel

A Welsh Government minister has cautioned against the use of “inflammatory language” amid tensions over a Snowdonia hotel being used to house asylum seekers.

It was revealed on Sunday that the Hilton Garden Inn at Adventure Parc Snowdonia in Dolgarrog is providing emergency accommodation for asylum seekers whilst their applications are processed.

The Home Office is now responsible for the running and operation of the site and its security.

The situation has been criticised by Aberconwy MP Robin Millar (Cons), who questioned the suitability of the site, whilst the area’s Senedd Member Janet Finch-Saunders (Cons) branded it “a disgrace”.

However, North Wales Minister Lesley Griffiths (Lab) has urged people not to inflame tensions in the area, warning that “words have consequences”.

It followed a press release being issued by Mrs Finch-Saunders in which she referred to the people being accommodated at the hotel as “alleged illegal immigrants who have contributed nothing to this nation”.

Speaking in the Senedd yesterday, Ms Griffiths also hit out at the lack of communication from the UK Government over its decision to take over the hotel.

It came after Darren Millar, Conservative MS for Aberconwy, asked for an urgent statement on what the Welsh Government was doing to work with the UK Government and Conwy County Borough Council to find suitable alternative accommodation.

Ms Griffiths said: “It’s very hard for the Welsh Government, or the local authority, to work with UK Government when they’re completely ignored.

“We had no prior knowledge of this, and I want to be really clear that the UK Government is responsible for immigration policy and delivery.

“They’ve got a system now that I think is broken and they really need to fix this as quickly as possible, because what we’re seeing are the human consequences of that broken system, and I don’t think it does anyone any good.

“I know that the Minister for Social Justice is or has written to the Home Office as a matter of urgency today to make these points very, very strongly.

“I would want to appeal to everybody that it is really best to avoid the use of inflammatory language when we’re dealing with this issue.

“I’ve certainly seen words that I wouldn’t have wanted to see in relation to this, and words have consequences, and I think it’s really important that we all treat this issue with sensitivity and care.”

The local unrest was highlighted yesterday by false rumours of a stabbing at the hotel being circulated on social media.

Local MP Mr Millar responded to the claims on Facebook by saying he had been in touch with the emergency services who had no record of such an incident.

He later clarified that an ambulance had attended the site but for unrelated health reasons.