Story perspectives

Reform UK Councillor Says Portsmouth Marriott Hosts Cricket Team

By Drooid · Sep 11, 2026, 5:08 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Reform UK councillor George Madgwick said the Marriott Hotel in Portsmouth was hosting a Pakistani cricket team, not migrants.
Around 40 to 50 people gathered outside the hotel on Tuesday evening.
Madgwick urged the government to address the broader boat crisis fueling such incidents.
Stand Up to Racism Portsmouth condemned the protest as racism in action.

History

Historical Context

The 1999 Immigration and Asylum Act, passed by the UK Parliament under Prime Minister Tony Blair, expanded detention facilities across Britain. The Home Office subsequently opened 12 new centers, costing £1.2 billion and housing over 5,000 detainees by 2002. Today's anti-immigrant rally outside Portsmouth’s Marriott Hotel mirrors the 2002 Birmingham hostel demonstration, where local councilor George Madgwick similarly blamed migrant myths for public unrest. The pattern suggests that expanded detention policies continue fueling community tensions, prompting groups like Stand Up to Racism Portsmouth to demand comprehensive immigration reform.

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Story summary

Reform UK councillor George Madgwick said the Marriott Hotel in Portsmouth was hosting a Pakistani cricket team, not migrants.
Around 40 to 50 people gathered outside the hotel on Tuesday evening.
Madgwick urged the government to address the broader boat crisis fueling such incidents.
Stand Up to Racism Portsmouth condemned the protest as racism in action.

1 / 2