As a former long-term resident of Brighton and Hove, I must express the great sadness I feel to hear a city I loved and thought of as a tolerant and generous place has joined the ranks of those expressing unthinking intolerance, even hatred, of people whose crime is to ask for a place of refuge.

I live in Belgium and each time I hear another news item about the cruel inhumanity towards asylum-seekers that seems almost to be accepted as civilised behaviour in Britain today, I feel more deeply ashamed to be British.

Now I learn some locals, including Des Turner MP, have joined in this assault on refugees, in protesting against the possible temporary housing of asylum-seekers in Saltdean.

This leaves me not only ashamed to be British but also ashamed to have trumpeted Brighton and Hove to my Belgian friends and acquaintances as a friendly and civilised city. In future, I shall think twice before recommending they visit.

Most refugees, let alone asylum-seekers, are people who have left behind them everything they knew and held dear. Most of us have the great good fortune never to face such a dreadful experience.

I hope very much those who have spoken out against extending even the slightest and most temporary shelter to asylum-seekers in Saltdean will think again and show themselves to be the humane and thoughtful face of Britain.

-Susan Reed, Rue de la forge, Bousval, Belgium