Reform councillor accused of comparing local volunteer to Nazi collaborator
A formal complaint has been filed after a 78-year-old resident was told her teaching of English to asylum seekers amounted to facilitating an invasion.
By Chiara Saeed ·
Tensions between local residents and asylum seekers have intensified in Essex following a dispute at a parish council meeting in October. The conflict centered on the role of private security and the integration of migrants housed at nearby military sites.
Carl Johnson, a Reform UK councillor, attended the Wethersfield parish council meeting on October 14 to provide updates on local issues. Among the topics discussed were road repairs and Operation Vanguard, a program that deploys private security guards to patrol town centers. Johnson had previously taken control of Essex county council in May 2026, ending a long period of Conservative dominance.
Nick Godley, 77, and former parish council chair, challenged Johnson regarding the necessity of Operation Vanguard. He argued that crime rates in nearby Braintree remained low. Johnson responded by asking if anyone in the room was helping the migrants and "facilitating the invasion." Mair Godley, Nick’s 78-year-old wife, identified herself as a volunteer who has taught English to asylum seekers at the facility.
Johnson then stated that her efforts were comparable to helping Germany during the second world war. He added that he did not want to raise his daughter in an environment where she might be raped and murdered by asylum seekers. In draft minutes reviewed by the Guardian, the exchange became heated, and Johnson was asked to leave to restore order.
The incident follows a Facebook post by Johnson the previous week. He wrote that people entering the country "illegally" received free clothing and accommodation, calling this dynamic "treason" and "population replacement." Mair Godley described the comments as violating. "I’m nearly 79 years old," she said. "How dare he say that to me?"
Nick Godley has lodged a formal complaint with Essex county council regarding Johnson’s conduct. A member of the public at the meeting urged Johnson to leave, and Nick Godley described his behavior as shocking. Nick Godley noted that the accusation occurred after he raised concerns that Operation Vanguard was introduced without consultation.
Essex county council stated that it comments on complaints only after an investigation and a finding of breach. Reform UK and Johnson have not responded to requests for comment. Wethersfield is one of two major former military sites used by the Home Office for mass asylum seeker accommodation.
Source: The Guardian
