Government returning Skegness asylum seeker hotels to normal use
The UK Government[1] has made the decision to return two Lincolnshire hotels housing asylum seekers back to normal use. The Skegness[2] hotels are just two of 50 across the UK which are to stop housing asylum seekers by the end of January.
Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, says the decision comes after a more than 20 percent drop in small boat crossings compared to last year. The Home Office has already notified relevant local authorities, MPs and the accommodation providers.
The first of the hotels are expected to be exited in the coming days and asylum seekers currently accommodated in these hotels will be moving to other parts of the UK’s asylum estate. Back in February, around 200 people marched[3] through Skegness town centre protesting over asylum seekers being housed in the town’s hotels.
Poll – Are you worried about the RAF asylum seekers plans?[4]
Boston and Skegness Conservative MP, Matt Warman, says he is pleased with the decision to begin returning them to the local community. He said: “I am pleased that Government colleagues have recognised that it is wholly inappropriate to use tourist hotels in Skegness to accommodate people seeking asylum.
“I have been clear throughout on my three ‘asks’ of Government – deter people from making journeys across the channel in the first place, process people more quickly and look at alternative forms of accommodation to the inappropriate use of hotels needed for tourism.
“It is brilliant news from the Conservative Government that 50 hotels across the country will be returned to communities as the temporary asylum accommodation is closed down. People across Boston & Skegness will be pleased to hear that this can happen thanks to the progress the Conservative Government has made to stop the boats.”
Boston and Skegness MP, Matt Warman (Image: Matt Warman)
Mr Jenrick said: “Taxpayers cannot be expected to foot the eye-watering bill for the use of hotels to accommodate individuals making illegal, dangerous and wholly unnecessary small boat crossings. Our strategy to stop the boats is making progress.
“With small boat arrivals down more than 20 per cent compared with last year, we can now start to restore these hotels to their rightful use for local communities. We remain absolutely determined, through the implementation of the Illegal Migration Act and our Rwanda Partnership, to dismantle the smuggling gangs’ business models and stop the boats entirely.”
References
- ^ UK Government (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Skegness (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ marched (www.lincolnshirelive.co.uk)
- ^ Are you worried about the RAF asylum seekers plans? (xd.wayin.com)