 A number of asylum seekers had already been housed on the Priory Estate, much to the dismay of many white British neighbours, although this was just before the mass influx to Britain of Eastern European immigrants from new European Union member states including Poland and Romania.As late as 2003, just 23 patriations of asylum seekers were living on and around the Priory Estate, but they were already attracting resentment from British neighbours because Dudley MBC had reportedly been providing furnishings, televisions and refrigerators for free to all asylum seekers living in the borough, and this was making them appear wealthier than British people.Many local people also saw the BNP as the answer to the Priory Estate's many problems that were nothing to do with asylum seekers nor any other ethnic minorities.