London, Aug 21, (HS):

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has thrown her weight behind councils fighting to block the use of local hotels for asylum accommodation, calling a recent High Court ruling in Essex a “victory for local people.”

In a letter circulated to Tory-run councils, Badenoch encouraged leaders to “take similar action to protect your community” if legal advice supported it. Her comments follow a landmark injunction obtained by Epping Forest District Council, which successfully halted the government’s plan to house 140 asylum seekers at The Bell Hotel after judges agreed the site presented safety risks and breached planning laws.

The court’s decision has ignited a wave of interest across England, with multiple councils — including some Labour-controlled authorities — now weighing legal bids of their own. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, vowed that all ten of its councils would pursue similar action “wherever possible.”

However, Labour accused Badenoch of “desperate and hypocritical nonsense,” blaming Conservative policies for allowing asylum hotel use to balloon during their time in power, when more than 56,000 people were placed in hotels at its peak in 2023. The current Labour government has pledged to phase out asylum hotels by 2029.

Critics warn that restricting hotels could create bigger housing headaches. Former Commons leader Penny Mordaunt cautioned that shutting hotels may force asylum seekers into converted family homes and HMOs, which “will be so much worse than hotels” for local housing supply.

Home Office minister Dan Jarvis confirmed contingency planning was underway, hinting at options including ex-military sites, tower blocks, and former student housing. With thousands due to be moved out of the Epping hotel by 12 September, councils and ministers are scrambling to secure alternatives — as legal precedent now threatens to add pressure across the country.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar