MP objects to plan to house asylum seekers in hotel

An MP has objected "strongly" to plans to use a hotel in his constituency to temporarily house asylum seekers as it is not "safe or appropriate".

Chris Curtis, the Labour MP for Milton Keynes North, said both he and Milton Keynes City Council were informed by the Home Office of the "urgent need" to establish a site in Newport Pagnell.

Peter Marland, the council's Labour leader, said the authority had also raised concerns with the Home Office over the unnamed hotel's location.

A Home Office spokesperson said the government was committed to ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers, but it had inherited an asylum system under "unprecedented strain".

Curtis said he was told the hotel would be used for about three months and it was needed because of a backlog in processing asylum cases.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the MP said: "Both the council and I have objected strongly to this plan, as we believe the site is neither safe nor appropriate for this purpose."

He said he had also objected to a previous proposal to use the site in 2023 and he had spoken and written to the relevant minister to outline his objections.

Whatever the decision "I am confident that our town and city will remain welcoming and supportive", he said.

Support, Curtis added, would be offered to those staying and to prioritise "everyone’s wellbeing".

"I have also asked the Home Office to put in place transportation, given the inconvenient location of the site.

"This situation highlights why it’s crucial to end the reliance on hotels for asylum accommodation, accelerate the processing of asylum claims, and dismantle the criminal gangs fuelling the small boats crisis", he added.

Marland, who represents the Wolverton ward, said: "The council has raised concerns with the Home Office over the use of this specific hotel due to its location, and we will continue working with our Member of Parliament on the subject."

A Home Office spokesperson said: "This government inherited an asylum system under unprecedented strain, with thousands stuck in a backlog without their claims processed.

"We have taken immediate action to restart asylum processing which will save an estimated £7 billion for the tax payer over the next ten years, and are delivering a major uplift in returns to remove people with no right to be in the UK.

"Over the long term this will reduce our reliance on hotels and costs of accommodation.

"We remain absolutely committed to ending the use of hotels for asylum seekers and continue to identify a range of accommodation options to minimise their use."

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