A "negative" Government advertising campaign calling for illegal immigrants in Redbridge to "go home or face arrest" should be withdrawn, according to the leaders of the three main parties in the borough.

The Home Office has announced that a poster van encouraging people without permission to be in the UK to arrange travel to their countries of origin will be driven through boroughs in London, including Redbridge.

But Conservative council leader Keith Prince, along with his Liberal Democrat and Labour colleagues, said the authority was not consulted on the "unusual" move, adding it would have a detrimental effect on the community.

A statement released today, which was also credited to Cllr Ian Bond of the Liberal Democrats and Labour group leader Jas Athwal, said: "We were neither informed nor consulted about this Home Office initiative.

"We have no information from the Home Office about why they have chosen Redbridge to carry out such an unusual scheme, or what the purpose is.

"It is clearly most unfortunate that the Home Office should take actions which were bound to be controversial, about highly sensitive matters, without very careful discussions with affected communities.

"If we had been consulted, we would have warned strongly that, whatever effect this campaign might be intended to have on people who are in the country unlawfully, that message is far outweighed by the negative message to the great majority of people, from all backgrounds, who live and work together in Redbridge, peacefully and productively and lawfully.

"We ask the Home Office to withdraw the campaign."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "This pilot is about targeting people who are here illegally and giving them the opportunity to leave the country voluntarily and with dignity, rather than be arrested, detained and removed.

“Voluntary returns are the most cost-effective way of removing illegal immigrants and save the taxpayer money. This pilot builds on the government’s current work on voluntary returns, which saw more than 28,000 voluntary departures last year.

“This work is just another part of the reforms of the immigration system that have cut out abuse and seen net migration drop to its lowest levels in nearly a decade.”

The Refugee and Migrant Forum Of East London reportedly met Home Office officials on Friday to raise concerns that the campaign's message was intimidating.

The group is understood to have written to the government department ahead of possible legal action.

The office of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is also believed to have expressed anger at the campaign, while a number of MPs have spoken out against it.

Liberal Democrat Business Secretary Vince Cable has branded the campaign "stupid and offensive".