Britain’s Court of Appeal has overturned a ban on housing asylum-seekers at a hotel in Essex, northeast of London. The ruling allows 138 asylum-seekers to continue staying at the Bell Hotel in Epping, which has been at the center of protests and a political debate over the government’s handling of asylum-seeker accommodation.
The court’s decision came after the Labour government appealed a temporary injunction granted by a High Court judge last week. The injunction would have required the asylum-seekers to leave the hotel by September 12. The government argued that the closure of the hotel would have significant consequences for its asylum-seeker housing policies, as it would need to identify alternative accommodation elsewhere.
Justice David Bean, reading a summary of the ruling, stated that the High Court judge made errors in principle, ignoring the obvious consequence that closing one site would require finding capacity elsewhere. The judge also warned that considering protests as relevant in the previous ruling risked “encouraging further lawlessness.”
The government was joined by Somani Hotels, the owner of the Bell Hotel, in challenging the temporary injunction, which was granted based on local planning laws. Other councils, including Labour-run authorities, had considered seeking similar injunctions for hotels in their areas, highlighting the potential implications of the ruling for asylum-seeker accommodation nationwide.
The issue has sparked intense debate, with critics arguing that the government is prioritizing the rights of asylum-seekers over those of local residents. Kemi Badenoch, leader of the Conservative Party, stated that “local communities should not pay the price for Labour’s total failure on illegal immigration.” The Bell Hotel has become a focal point for protests, with tensions escalating after an alleged incident involving a resident and a 14-year-old girl.
The Labour government has struggled to address unauthorized migration and provide adequate accommodation for asylum-seekers. The use of hotels to house asylum-seekers has become a contentious issue, with the number of asylum-seekers in hotels standing at over 32,000 at the end of June, according to the Home Office. While this figure is down from a peak of over 56,000 in September 2023, it remains a significant challenge for the government.
The ruling has significant implications for the government’s asylum-seeker housing policies and the ongoing debate over migration. As the government continues to seek alternative accommodation solutions, the issue is likely to remain a major point of contention in British politics.
