Britain First protest at Lydd Town Hall; meeting cancelled over paperwork
Britain First supporters are planning to demonstrate outside Lydd Town Hall on Monday 3 November at 7.30pm. Kent Police have been notified; in an email seen by The Shepway Vox Team, an officer confirms the force is aware and “will try and get to the bottom of it.”
Lydd Town Council has cancelled the Town Hall meeting scheduled for that evening. Cllr Clive Goddard informed The Shepway Vox Team’s public face the decision was entirely unrelated to the proposed Britain First demonstration and was taken solely because the necessary paperwork was not ready. Goddard, who serves on both the town and district councils, added that he was unhappy about a far-right group planning to protest in Lydd and opposed any attempt to sow division in a town proud of its community spirit.
In recent days residents have circulated a Britain First leaflet advertising a “first action meeting” on 3 November and carrying inflammatory slogans, including a call for “mass deportation”. The flyer, which bears the group’s branding, has caused distress among local people who contacted both the Town Council and Police.
Local Context: Reception Centre Planned In Lydd
The planned demonstration comes as Peacock House in Lydd is set to become a reception centre for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, according to KentOnline reporting and Kent County Council’s public letter to residents this summer.
Community leaders and charities stress that managing sensitive changes like this requires calm heads and accurate information. A street confrontation by an extremist group will do nothing to answer residents’ practical questions about services and safeguarding.
Political Backdrop
The Romney Marsh county division, which includes Lydd, is represented at Kent County Council by a Reform UK councillor, David Wimble, elected in May. This article makes no suggestion of any link between Reform UK and Britain First; we note the local political context because it shapes the debates residents are now having.
Who Are Britain First
Britain First is a far-right political party, registered with the Electoral Commission (party ID PP12823). It is not a proscribed organisation in UK law.
The group and its leaders have a long record of controversy: in 2018, Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen were jailed for religiously aggravated harassment following activities around criminal trials in Kent; and in 2018–2019 major social-media platforms removed the group and leading figures for repeated policy violations.
Britain First has been re-registered as a political party since September 2021 and has faced recent Electoral Commission compliance action over late accounts.
What Happens Next
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Date & place: Supporters say they will gather outside Lydd Town Hall on 3 November at 7.30pm.
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Council meeting: Cancelled for paperwork/administrative reasons, per Cllr Clive Goddard; the cancellation is not in response to the demonstration.
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Police: Kent Police are aware following resident reports; anyone with information or concerns should report via official channels.
Comment: Cohesion Over Confrontation
Lydd is a welcoming town that has handled change and challenge before. As a reception centre opens for vulnerable children, cohesion, accuracy and empathy are what this community needs most—not sloganeering, division or hate. Peaceful, lawful expression is a democratic right; targeting minority groups is not. We urge residents to reject provocation, support fact-based discussion, and give local services the space to do their jobs safely and well.
If you have verified information about public safety around 3 November, contact Kent Police via the usual non-emergency routes. For questions about Peacock House, consult Kent County Council’s published materials.
The Shepway Vox Team
The Velvet Voices Of Voxatiousness
Wimble Posts on his Facebook Britain First posts and has BF supporters as his supporters.