Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Anthony France

‘A victory for mums and dads’ as asylum seekers to be removed from Essex hotel

A temporary injunction blocking asylum seekers from being housed at an Essex hotel is a victory for parents, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch claimed.

Epping Forest District Council had asked a High Court judge to stop migrants from being accommodated at the Bell Hotel in Epping.

Several protests and counter-demonstrations have been held in the town since then-resident Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu was accused of trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl.

He denies sexual assault charges against him and is due to stand trial later this month.

Conservative Party leader Badenoch described Tuesday’s injunction as “a victory for the mums and dads I spoke to in Epping who just want their children to be safe”.

In a message posted on X, she said: “Putting a hotel full of young male illegal immigrants in the middle of a community like Epping was always going to lead to issues.

“They need to be moved out of the area immediately.

“But Epping is just one of many towns struggling with these asylum hotels.

“Labour have no solution, they’re not smashing any gangs and small boat arrivals are at record highs.

“I do have a plan – bring back a proper deterrent and remove all illegal arrivals immediately, so towns like Epping never have to deal with this again.”

Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage said he hoped other councils would follow the move, adding: “This is a victory for the parents and concerned residents of Epping.

Several protests have been held outside the Bell Hotel (PA Wire)

“They do not want their young women being assaulted on the streets. This community stood up bravely, despite being slandered as far-right, and have won.

“They represent the vast majority of decent people in this country.

“Young, undocumented males who break into the UK illegally should not be free to walk the streets anywhere. They must be detained and deported.

“I hope that Epping provides inspiration to others across the country.”

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp suggested the injunction is “a moment of relief for the people of Epping”.

The Conservative MP said: “Residents should never have had to fight their own Government just to feel safe in their own town.

“Local residents have every right to feel safe in their own streets and every right to object when their community is treated as a dumping ground.”

He accused Labour of deciding to “tear up the deterrents” the Tories put in place, adding: “The Conservatives will remove all illegal arrivals immediately and put a proper deterrent in place so that towns like Epping are never put in this position again.”

Chris Whitbread, the leader of Epping Forest District Council, said the Government does not have a plan to accommodate asylum seekers and did not listen to concerns that they should not be housed at the Bell Hotel.

“I am delighted. This is great news for our residents. The last few weeks have placed an intolerable strain on our community but today we have some great news.

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch (Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)

“Today we have made a step towards redressing the imbalance and showing that local people do have some say, whatever the Home Office thinks.”

When asked why the council did not previously take legal action, Mr Whitbread said: “It goes back to 2020 when we were in the pandemic originally, and at that time, it was used for young families, women and children, which is completely different to having it used for single males.

“Obviously, we have always raised our concerns with the Home Office, whether it be the previous government or this government, we raised our concerns.

“This government decided to start using the hotel again without consultation and purely by instruction; they didn’t listen to our concerns.

“Five schools are in close proximity, a residential care home, lots of residential homes nearby, they didn’t listen to us at all, that is the fundamental difference.”

But Enver Solomon, chief executive of Refugee Council, said: “Everyone agrees that hotels are the wrong answer.

“They cost the taxpayer billions, trap people in limbo and are flashpoints in communities.

“Through our frontline work, we see how protests and hostility leave people who have fled war and persecution feeling terrified and targeted in the very places they are forced to live. This makes an already traumatising situation worse and prevents people from feeling safe.

“Instead of using costly hotels, the Government should partner with local councils to provide safe, cost-effective accommodation within communities.

“But ultimately, the only way to end hotel use for good is to resolve asylum applications quickly and accurately so people can either rebuild their lives here or return home with dignity.

“This will cut costs and allow refugees to integrate into their new communities, contribute, and play their part in Britain.”

Lawyers for the Home Office argued a temporary injunction “runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further violent protests”.

Ministers now fear other areas of the country will attempt similar tactics to get unpopular migrant hotels shut down.

Corina Gander, Conservative leader of Broxbourne Council, told PA news agency the High Court’s decision had set “a massive boost and precedent that we can do something now”.

Crowds had gathered in protest outside the Cheshunt Marriott Hotel in Hertfordshire, which lies around six miles from the Bell Hotel in Epping.

Reacting to the judgment, border security minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “This Government inherited a broken asylum system, at the peak there were over 400 hotels open.

“We will continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns. Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament.

“We will carefully consider this judgment. As this matter remains subject to ongoing legal proceedings it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.