Pressure is growing on the Government and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper over the ongoing migrant hotel row. Protests have erupted near hotels housing or preparing to house asylum seekers in recent weeks, notably outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex.
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson has written a scathing letter to Ms Cooper, accusing the Government of failing to protect British women and girls. He said he was speaking “on behalf of millions of Brits” and demanded to know why illegal migrants were being housed in residential areas near families, while also questioning the Home Office’s definition of “safe, secure and suitable” accommodation.
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Epping Forest District Council passed a motion on Thursday to call on the Government “to immediately and permanently close” the Bell Hotel “for the purposes of asylum processing”.
Multiple demonstrations have been held outside the hotel since July 13 after asylum seeker Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, 38, was charged with allegedly attempting to kiss a 14-year-old girl.
Kebatu denied sexually assaulting the girl at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court and will stand trial in August.
The council unanimously voted in favour of the motion and the father of the girl allegedly assaulted by Kebatu, in a statement read out by a councillor during the meeting, said the Government was “putting our children and grandchildren at risk” and demanded the hotel be “moved”.
The Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst has also written to the Home Secretary, saying asylum seekers must be removed from the Bell Hotel.
In a letter sent two days ago, he said the site was “unsuitable” for housing migrants and insisted their presence was “clearly creating community tension”.
Epping’s Conservative MP, Neil Hudson, has also put pressure on Ms Cooper.
Earlier this week, he said: “This is a crisis that is boiling over and for the sake of community safety, the Home Secretary and the Government must get a grip of this situation. They must listen and act now to close this hotel immediately. Will they now do this?”
Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Bell Hotel on Thursday evening and police say they are preparing for further protests outside amid escalating community unrest and growing national attention.
Last Thursday, demonstrations descended into violence, with eight officers injured and police vehicles damaged as missiles were thrown.
Essex Police have made 18 arrests and charged seven individuals in connection with offences related to the protests.
