UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Security minister Dan Jarvis says the government is exploring alternative housing for asylum seekers after a court blocked their stay in an Epping hotel.
As reported by The Guardian, following a court ruling on Tuesday, 19 August, Dan Jarvis said the government is reviewing contingency plans for housing asylum seekers.
What did Dan Jarvis say about housing options after the Epping ruling?
Dan Jarvis said,
“We’re looking at a range of different contingency options following from a legal ruling that took place yesterday, and we’ll look closely at what we’re able to do.”
During an interview, when asked about planning permission for other hotels housing asylum seekers, he responded,
“Well, we’ll see over the next few days and weeks. Other local authorities will be considering whether they wish to act in the same way that Epping [Forest] district council have.”
Mr Jarvis said,
“I think the important point to make is that nobody really thinks that hotels are a sustainable location to accommodate asylum seekers. That’s precisely why the government has made a commitment that, by the end of this parliament, we would have phased out the use of them.”
He highlighted that the Bell Hotel in Epping, targeted by the court ruling, is a ‘very specific case’ with a longstanding history of concern.
Mr Jarvis said,
“This was a very specific case concerning a hotel which, since it opened to accommodate asylum seekers five years ago, has been the subject of a lot of complaints and protests. Indeed, there’s been a considerable amount of legal debate about its location and use.”
He stated,
“There is a short-term challenge to ensure that those asylum seekers who are here are appropriately accommodated, but of course the bigger-picture challenge is stopping people coming here illegally in the first place.”
When asked about the government’s intention to appeal the High Court ruling on the Epping hotel, he replied,
“Well, we’ll see where we get to with that specific decision. We’re looking very closely at it.”
He stated,
“The bigger issue is how we can tackle the asylum backlog. We inherited a very significant backlog from the previous government, which effectively stopped processing asylum claims. That’s why we rediverted the resources that had been put in place for Rwanda to ensure that we can process asylum claims much more quickly than was previously the case.”
What did Dan Jarvis say about Nigel Farage’s views on hotels housing asylum seekers?
Referring to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage’s opinion piece, Dan Jarvis said the “very worst politicians” seek to divide people.
He added,
“I haven’t read Mr Farage’s op-ed, but I’ve always thought that the best politicians try and bring people together, and the very worst politicians try and drive them apart.”
What did the court rule about the Bell Hotel and asylum seekers?
A High Court ruling has thrown the government’s asylum plans into turmoil, putting migrant hotels across Britain at risk of closure.
The Bell Hotel in Epping must close after council leaders won a temporary injunction, requiring all asylum seekers to leave by Sept. 12.
The court sided with the council, which argued that using the Bell Hotel for asylum seekers violated planning rules since it was no longer a functioning hotel.
Mr Justice Eyre cited ‘lawful protests’ against ‘the use of the Bell to accommodate asylum seekers,’ which disrupted residents’ lives.
He added,
“No one factor is determinative by itself, and I have looked at matters in the round. My conclusion on this issue is that the balance of convenience falls in favour of the grant of interim relief.”
What did Nigel Farage say about protesting migrant hotels?
Nigel Farage said Reform UK’s 12 councils will take legal action. He called on the public to stage protests to push councils into action.
Mr Farage said,
“Now the good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around the country. Wherever people are concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels and who are free to walk their streets, they should follow the example.”
He added,
“Let’s hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels and put pressure on local councils to go to court to get the illegal immigrants out. Because now we know that together we can win. I can say today the councils controlled by the party I lead, Reform UK, will be doing everything in their power to follow Epping’s lead.”
What did Chris Philp say about council legal challenges on asylum policy?
Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, stated,
“It is very likely that many other councils will now take similar legal action.”
He added,
“This would leave the Government’s asylum accommodation policy in disarray, given the chaos being caused in communities, including serious criminal offences such as sexual attacks.”
What did Angela Eagle say about the Government’s asylum hotel plan?
Angela Eagle, the border security minister, stated,
“This Government inherited a broken asylum system – at the peak, there were over 400 hotels open. We will continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns. Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this Parliament.”
She added,
“We will carefully consider this judgment. As this matter remains subject to ongoing legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”
What did Chris Whitbread say about council action on asylum hotels?
Chris Whitbread, the leader of Epping Forest district council, urged other councils to take legal action, saying,
“They need to look at their own planning rules … this is a breach of planning, and that’s why we’ve been given a judgment today.”
He added,
“We may be a bit of a test case. I have to say, I’ve been extremely disappointed in the Home Office from day one. They didn’t listen, they didn’t consult. They instructed, and therefore, that’s why they find themselves with this problem. They need to address the issue at the borders.”
Asylum seekers in the UK in 2025
By March 2025, the UK had 109,343 asylum claims. The initial grant rate dropped to 47% in 2024, with about 87,000 cases still waiting, many for over a year.
Most asylum seekers cannot work and receive £49.18 per week in self-catered housing. The system continues to face pressure from rising applications and long delays.