Councils plan legal action over asylum hotels

Reform UK controlled councils push to move asylum seekers from hotels following a High Court injunction in Essex.

Councils plan legal action over asylum hotels

Councils across England are preparing legal steps to remove asylum seekers from local hotels after a High Court injunction blocked lodging at The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex. Ten Reform UK controlled councils say they will follow Epping's lead, while a Conservative council in Broxbourne is also considering similar action. Government officials say they will support local authorities as they address concerns about asylum hotels. The discussion has drawn in national politicians including Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, who have framed the issue as a matter of public safety and housing policy. In Diss, a Conservative council said it would use planning rules to ensure families are housed rather than single adult males, highlighting local nuances in how communities respond to the hotels.

Ministers anticipate more councils may join the effort as the debate broadens. Some councils are reviewing planning powers to limit hotel use for asylum seekers. The broader political pledge to close all asylum hotels by the end of the Parliament remains contested, with critics warning that rapid removals could affect vulnerable people and legal protections.

The episode exposes a sharp fault line between local activism and national policy. It shows how a court ruling can rapidly empower local leaders to pursue aggressive approaches, while opponents warn that political rhetoric risks inflaming tensions without solving underlying asylum pressures. The mix of protests, planning maneuvers, and pledges to end hotel housing reveals a politics of quick fixes that may face legal and logistical headwinds as councils test what is legally and practically possible.

Highlights

The coming weeks will reveal how far local authorities can push policy without eroding protections.