A Cabinet minister has accused Reform UK of stoking tensions over asylum hotels as protests continue.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said “whipping up anger” serves the political interests of Nigel Farage’s party.
Deputy Reform UK leader Richard Tice said it is “ridiculous” to suggest the party supports anything other than lawful, peaceful protests.
Four people were arrested including one for assaulting a police officer, after protests in Canary Wharf, London.
In Epping, where the use of the Bell Hotel has been at the centre of a legal battle between the local council and the Government, there were three arrests.
Ms Phillipson said she understands people’s frustration at the use of hotels, but the Government has to phase out their use in an “orderly” manner.
She told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News: “I understand the frustration that people feel, because I understand when they see, for example, asylum hotels and big numbers of people in their community, I understand how that can make people feel.
“Of course, there can be no excuse for what is rightful protest, overstepping the mark.
“But Nigel Farage and Reform, they don’t actually want to sort this problem. It’s in their interests… he thinks their political interests are served by whipping up anger rather than fixing problems.”
An interim injunction which would have required the asylum seekers to leave the Bell Hotel was overturned after the Government won an appeal, but critics accused the Home Office of putting the rights of migrants over local people.
Ms Phillipson said: “It is about a balance of rights. When people come to this country and claim asylum, we have a responsibility as a Government to assess their cases and to process them.”
But she said “our responsibility to those who live locally is also important as well”.
Appearing after Ms Phillipson on the Sky News programme, Mr Tice was asked if he could be clear there has been “no encouragement” from the party to “the sort of person who wants to break into asylum hotels in masks and to intimidate asylum seekers”.
Mr Tice said it was an “outrageous suggestion”, adding: “Of course we’re not suggesting that.
“We’ve always suggested lawful, peaceful protest, nothing else.”
The Conservatives plan to force a vote in Parliament on giving local authorities more say in decisions about accommodating asylum seekers in hotels or shared housing.
The amendments set to be tabled in the Lords to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill would ensure local communities are consulted before properties are converted to house asylum seekers as part of the planning process.
A temporary injunction granted to Epping Forest District Council which would have required the removal of asylum seekers from the Bell Hotel was overturned by the Court of Appeal following an application from the hotel’s owners and the Home Office.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said by appealing in the Epping case, “Keir Starmer showed he prioritised the rights of illegal immigrants over the rights of the British people”.
She added: “With this amendment, Starmer and Labour are going to have to decide again whether they will continue to ride roughshod over communities as they push asylum hotels into Britain’s towns and cities.”
A Labour spokesman said: “This is rank hypocrisy from a Tory party which actively changed the rules regarding consultation of local authorities on asylum accommodation in March 2020, and went on to increase the number of asylum hotels from 10 at that time to more than 400 three years later.
“During the 10 months that Kemi Badenoch was the Minister for Local Government, the number of asylum hotels went up from 140 to 240, and not a single one of the local authorities she was supposed to represent in Whitehall were asked for permission during that time.”
