Reform Considers Legal Challenges Against Asylum Hotels

Reform UK party leader Zia Yusuf told the BBC that the party may take legal action against the government to prevent the housing of migrants in hotels in areas under their control. Yusuf stated that the party had pledged to resist this practice and would use all available legal means to fulfill that promise.

Although the Home Office is responsible for housing adult asylum seekers, local authorities have limited power to oppose these decisions. Reform won over 600 seats in the latest local elections and took control of 10 local authorities.

Yusuf said party-affiliated lawyers were investigating whether the sudden conversion of hotels into hostels, which could violate various regulations, was lawful. When asked whether Reform UK’s policy was to house asylum seekers in tents, he pointed to France as an example of a similar practice. Yusuf announced that if the party came to power, they would publish a plan to deport all illegal immigrants and would reveal the full details of this plan shortly.

In 2021, some local authorities filed lawsuits against the Home Office in opposition to the distribution of asylum seekers across the country. However, the ministry promised a “fairer distribution system,” and the lawsuits were withdrawn. But figures from March show that around 40,000 people are still being accommodated in hotels. Zia Yusuf stated that his party viewed DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives as wasteful spending and would work to reduce this waste. He mentioned that they would send inspection teams and task forces, and now that they had access to contracts, they could start making changes.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch attributed Reform UK’s success to Nigel Farage giving voice to public frustration, but also emphasized his lack of governing experience. Asked whether Farage might become party leader, Badenoch commented “anything is possible” but said it was her duty to oppose it. Health Secretary Wes Streeting also described Reform as a “serious opposition force,” stating that their policies needed more scrutiny and that the Labour Party should take the threat seriously, as they could become a main rival in the general elections.

Resource:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c77npgv06xpo