Reform UK Launches Campaign Against Illegal Migrant Hotels as Numbers Soar Under Labour
Reform UK has pledged to lead a local government crusade against the use of hotels for asylum seekers, with MP Lee Anderson warning the policy poses “a tremendous risk to local communities.” The announcement comes as official figures reveal the number of migrants housed in taxpayer-funded hotels has risen by 8,494 since Labour took power, reaching 38,079 – reversing previous reductions.
Speaking to GB News, Anderson blasted the “failure of successive Conservative and Labour governments” to address the issue, vowing Reform councillors elected in May’s local elections would campaign to end the practice. “Only Reform will stop this abuse of the British taxpayer and the risks these hotels create,” said the Ashfield MP, advocating instead for a policy of detention and deportation.
The hardline stance follows growing tensions in newly Labour constituencies like Altrincham and Peterborough, where hotels have been converted to asylum accommodation months after the general election. The Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham – which elected its first Labour MP in July – began housing 300 migrants in October, while Peterborough’s Dragonfly Hotel took in 150 asylum seekers just 133 days after voting Labour.
With annual spending on asylum support hitting £5.38 billion (£41,000 per migrant, up from £17,000 in 2020), Labour faces accusations of abandoning its manifesto pledge to end “wasteful” hotel use. Border Security Minister Angela Eagle admitted to a net increase of six hotels under Labour, despite plans to close nine by March’s end. Treasury documents last week conceded hotels will remain in use for years.
The policy backlash intensified as footage emerged of asylum seekers boasting about life in UK hotels, including one Albanian migrant claiming to help others settle illegally. Meanwhile, some hotels threaten evictions over unpaid government contracts.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s small boats strategy also faces scrutiny after migrant arrivals surpassed 30,000 under Labour – a weekly rate (780) exceeding both Rishi Sunak’s (570) and Boris Johnson’s (400) records. Anderson branded it proof of Labour’s “open borders” approach, though the government insists it remains committed to stopping the boats.
As Reform UK mobilises its local election campaign around the issue, the debate over migrant accommodation looks set to dominate council races – with voters increasingly questioning why manifesto promises on hotels remain unfulfilled.
