Keir Starmer to break promise as scandal of asylum seekers in hotels to last for years
The Labour government has admitted it will break its manifesto pledge to end the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers, as the practice is expected to continue for years due to ongoing global instability and housing shortages. Taxpayers are currently footing a £5.5 million daily bill to accommodate asylum seekers in hotels, with the number of people housed in such facilities rising by 8,000 since the July 2023 election.
A Treasury investigation, conducted by the new Office for Value for Money, concluded that it is impossible to close the hotels, as illegal migration to the UK continues and there is insufficient alternative housing. The report also highlighted concerns about private contractors profiting from the system, with companies securing record profits through lucrative government contracts.
In 2019, the Home Office signed 10-year contracts worth £4.6 billion with three private firms to provide asylum accommodation. Despite Labour’s election promise to “end asylum hotels,” the government has acknowledged the challenges of processing asylum claims and finding long-term housing solutions.
A government spokesperson stated that efforts are underway to address the issue, including restarting asylum processing, increasing the number of returns, and establishing the Border Security Command to dismantle people-smuggling networks. However, the spokesperson admitted that the use of hotels will persist in the short term.
Meanwhile, small boat crossings in the English Channel remain high, with 241 migrants arriving in four boats on March 22 alone. This brings the total number of arrivals in 2024 to 5,512, surpassing figures from the same period in previous years. Tragically, two migrants died in separate incidents while attempting to cross the Channel last week.
The government is also advancing its Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, which aims to introduce new criminal offenses and grant counter-terror-style powers to law enforcement agencies to combat people-smuggling gangs.
