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| More councils in England plan to challenge asylum hotels after Essex ruling | More councils in England plan to challenge asylum hotels after Essex ruling |
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| Broxbourne council leader hopes to ‘go down same path’ as Epping, which has blocked people being housed in hotel | Broxbourne council leader hopes to ‘go down same path’ as Epping, which has blocked people being housed in hotel |
| UK politics live – latest updates | UK politics live – latest updates |
| Councils across England are weighing up their own legal challenges after a high court ruling blocked people seeking asylum from being housed in an Essex hotel. | Councils across England are weighing up their own legal challenges after a high court ruling blocked people seeking asylum from being housed in an Essex hotel. |
| The Conservative-run Broxbourne council in Hertfordshire said it was taking legal advice “as a matter of urgency” on whether it could follow the example of neighbouring Epping Forest district council, which applied successfully for an injunction to stop asylum seekers being accommodated at the Bell hotel in the town. | |
| Corina Gander, the leader of Broxbourne council, said a hotel in the town of Cheshunt put “an enormous strain on local services”. | Corina Gander, the leader of Broxbourne council, said a hotel in the town of Cheshunt put “an enormous strain on local services”. |
| “We are going to be looking at the ruling of Epping yesterday and we will be expecting to go down the same path as Epping,” the Conservative councillor told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. | “We are going to be looking at the ruling of Epping yesterday and we will be expecting to go down the same path as Epping,” the Conservative councillor told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. |
| Gander said her council had tried previously to get legal advice to block the hotel, but had been unsuccessful. “What Epping have done is they have really set a precedent for local councils,” she added. | |
| The ruling has been seized on by the Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, who said the party’s 12 councils would also consider such challenges. Writing in the Telegraph, Farage said those authorities would do “everything in their power” to replicate Epping’s approach, describing the case as a template for resistance to the Home Office’s use of hotels. However, a number of these councils do not have responsibility for planning permission, which may limit their ability to launch legal challenges. | |
| After Farage’s comments, West Northamptonshire and Staffordshire county councils, both led by Reform, said authorities would look at the options available in light of the high court ruling. Ian Cooper, the leader of Staffordshire county council, said: “The control and protection of our country’s borders is a national issue, but the impact of central government policy is felt in communities across Staffordshire.” | |
| Ministers are braced for such legal challenges, as the government is working on contingency plans to house asylum seekers. | Ministers are braced for such legal challenges, as the government is working on contingency plans to house asylum seekers. |
| The security minister, Dan Jarvis, told Times Radio: “We’re looking at a range of different contingency options following from a legal ruling that took place yesterday, and we’ll look closely at what we’re able to do.” | The security minister, Dan Jarvis, told Times Radio: “We’re looking at a range of different contingency options following from a legal ruling that took place yesterday, and we’ll look closely at what we’re able to do.” |
| Asked whether other migrant hotels had the proper planning permission, Jarvis said: “Well, we’ll see over the next few days and weeks. Other local authorities will be considering whether they wish to act in the same way that Epping (Forest) district council have. | Asked whether other migrant hotels had the proper planning permission, Jarvis said: “Well, we’ll see over the next few days and weeks. Other local authorities will be considering whether they wish to act in the same way that Epping (Forest) district council have. |
| “I think the important point to make is that nobody really thinks that hotels are a sustainable location to accommodate asylum seekers. That’s precisely why the government has made a commitment that, by the end of this parliament, we would have phased out the use of them.” | “I think the important point to make is that nobody really thinks that hotels are a sustainable location to accommodate asylum seekers. That’s precisely why the government has made a commitment that, by the end of this parliament, we would have phased out the use of them.” |
| Farage also called for protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers, to put pressure on local authorities to take the same route as Epping Forest. He said: “Now the good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around Britain. Wherever people are concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels and who are free to walk their streets, they should follow the example of the town in Essex. | |
| “Let’s hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win.” | |
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| Jarvis said he believed “the very worst politicians” tried to drive people apart, when asked on Sky News about Farage’s opinion piece in the Telegraph on Wednesday about hotels housing asylum seekers. He told the broadcaster: “I haven’t read Mr Farage’s op-ed, but I’ve always thought that the best politicians try and bring people together, and the very worst politicians try and drive them apart.” | |
| The decision followed weeks of far-right protests in Epping, including clashes outside the Bell hotel, where an asylum seeker has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The judge gave the Home Office until 12 September to stop housing asylum seekers at the site. | The decision followed weeks of far-right protests in Epping, including clashes outside the Bell hotel, where an asylum seeker has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. The judge gave the Home Office until 12 September to stop housing asylum seekers at the site. |
| The Home Office had argued that granting an injunction risked setting a precedent and warned it could hinder its legal duty to provide accommodation. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, used the case to call for tougher measures to halt Channel crossings. Writing in the Daily Express, he said “every illegal arrival must be removed, every loophole must be closed” to prevent other towns being put in a similar position. | |
| Not all Conservative councils are rushing to the courts, however. The leader of South Norfolk council, Daniel Elmer, said his authority would instead use planning rules to ensure hotels in this area housed families rather than single men. “If we can punish people who put up sheds in their gardens without permission, then we can take action against hotels being converted into hostels,” he said. | Not all Conservative councils are rushing to the courts, however. The leader of South Norfolk council, Daniel Elmer, said his authority would instead use planning rules to ensure hotels in this area housed families rather than single men. “If we can punish people who put up sheds in their gardens without permission, then we can take action against hotels being converted into hostels,” he said. |
| According to recent Home Office figures, there were 32,345 asylum seekers being housed temporarily in UK hotels at the end of March. This was down 15% from the end of December, when the total was 38,079, and 6% lower than the 34,530 at the same point a year earlier. | According to recent Home Office figures, there were 32,345 asylum seekers being housed temporarily in UK hotels at the end of March. This was down 15% from the end of December, when the total was 38,079, and 6% lower than the 34,530 at the same point a year earlier. |
| The Guardian reported on Tuesday that insiders at the Home Office had admitted the department had been left “reeling” by the ruling. The department is obliged to house asylum seekers until their cases are assessed. | The Guardian reported on Tuesday that insiders at the Home Office had admitted the department had been left “reeling” by the ruling. The department is obliged to house asylum seekers until their cases are assessed. |