KEIR Starmer’s “legitimising” of far-right protests outside of hotels housing asylum seekers has been described as “shameful and beyond reckless”.
Following protests outside of hotels in England and Scotland, which an investigation from the Ferret revealed have been backed by extremist groups, all eyes were on the Prime Minister’s response as the House of Commons returned from summer recess.
While Home Secretary Yvette Cooper set out how she would make it harder for refugees to bring family to the UK, Starmer told the BBC he “completely gets” concerns about migration.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live’s Matt Chorley, the Prime Minister said: “We have to have control of our borders, and I completely get it, and I’m determined that whether it’s people crossing in the first place, whether it’s people in asylum hotels, or whether it’s returning people, we absolutely have to deal with this.
“When it comes to the asylum hotels, I want them emptied.
“I’ve been really clear about that.
“I completely understand why people are so concerned about it.”
Asked to commit to a date to empty asylum hotels, the Prime Minister replied: “Well, we’ve said we’ll get rid of them by the end of the Parliament. I would like to bring that forward, I think it is a good challenge. I want to bring that forward.”
Starmer’s response has been criticised for “legitimising” the protests backed by the far-right, with the Scottish Greens suggesting he is trying to be “more authoritarian” than Nigel Farage.
The Prime Minister also revealed he hangs an England flag in his Downing Street flat, in response to a question about whether people putting up Union and St George’s Cross flags in the wake of asylum hotel protests could be considered racist.
We previously told how pro-independence parties reacted with outrage after it emerged that the Saltire had been co-opted as part of a far-right campaign, started by an ally of Tommy Robison, called “Operation Raise the Flag”.
"How have we got to the point where a former human rights lawyer is demonising people who have fled war and persecution? Why is he trying to be even crueller and more authoritarian than Nigel Farage?”
Chapman claimed Labour’s policies are becoming “increasingly racist and anti-migrant” and are fuelling the escalation of protests and attacks on minorities.
She added: “Where does the Prime Minister think these protests will end? By giving the protesters his tacit approval he is putting people's lives and wellbeing at risk.
“He is fuelling the flames of hate and bigotry that will affect all of our communities.
“We must have politicians prepared to stand up against prejudice in all its forms, rather than pandering to racist extremists. I will always stand in solidarity with marginalised people - from asylum seekers and refugees to people of colour across our communities.”
SNP Westminster depute leader Pete Wishart delivered a scathing response to Cooper’s statement on Monday afternoon.
“What a country the UK is becoming, and rarely has the national mood so ugly and intimidating,” he said.
“People congregating at hotels, screaming at asylum seekers to go home. The right wing so emboldened that they feel the streets belong to them. Doesn’t she realise every times she moves on to the ground of Reform is further encouraging and emboldening them.”
Wishart added that Cooper should “try something different”, adding: “How about just occasionally saying something positive about immigration? How about not dehumanising asylum seekers, and showing them some compassion, decency and humanity.”
