A LABOUR MP for Bournemouth has demanded three seaside migrant hotels be shut to help save his town’s tourist trade after The Sun revealed they were used by asylum seekers.
Tom Hayes said he understood the frustrations of locals and businesses at having to live with the taxpayer-funded residences yards from one of Britain’s best beaches.
The 102-room Roundhouse Hotel is just one of three hotels being used to house illegal migrants in the seaside town of Bournemouth
SuppliedBournemouth’s Labour MP Tom Hayes has backed locals over taxpayer-funded migrant hotels near town’s popular beach[/caption]
It comes after we told yesterday of the anger of holidaymakers forced to fork out thousands of pounds, while illegal arrivals are put up for nothing in comfort.
It has now emerged dozens of residents at the 79-room Chine Hotel, the 102-room Roundhouse Hotel and the 123-room Britannia Hotel have been charged with serious offences in six months.
Bournemouth East MP Mr Hayes, elected last year with Jessica Toale as the town’s first Labour MPs, urged the Home Office to close at least one of the hotels quickly.
He told The Sun he would have shot down the idea if their “irresponsible” opening as asylum hotels — sanctioned by the Conservative government — had been proposed while he was in the job.
He said: “Their closure is really important for the recovery of the tourist economy.
“People haven’t been coming to Bournemouth because they’ve been affected by the cost-of-living crisis, a global pandemic and austerity.
“There’s been a real decline in our coastal towns and I want zero asylum hotels in the country. I’ve already secured a commitment from the Government that there will be no more in Bournemouth.
“I feel sure we’ll see their closure starting within this next year.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said Bournemouth, home to 196,000, was “paying the price for Labour’s massive failures”.
But Mr Hayes insisted it was the Tories who “insulted” residents by renting the hotels in the first place.
He added that he was angry they were being used as bases for black-market work after we revealed migrants at the Chine were illegally employed as delivery riders.
Mr Hayes’ comments come as figures reveal dozens of the three hotels’ residents face charges for serious offences. One is accused of rape and another of dealing crack.
Diego Ron, 39, has been jailed for eight weeks for theft.
On Wednesday, Shkar Jamal admitted threatening a man with a snooker cue at the Britannia. He will be sentenced next month.
Migrants gathered outside The Roundhouse hotel
The Home Office has also taken over the 123-room Britannia Hotel
At the same hotel, Mohamed Nooradin was given a conditional discharge for having cannabis resin and an illegal extendable baton in his room.
A Government spokesman said: “From more than 400 asylum hotels open under the previous government in summer 2023, costing almost £9million a day, there are now fewer than 210.
“We want them all closed by the end of this Parliament and continue to work closely with community partners, discussing any concerns they have, as we look to fix this broken system together.”
The Chine Hotel, used by asylum seekers, is in Bournemouth, a hotspot for Brit holidaymakers
The Sun caught an asylum seeker working as a Just Eat delivery rider near to one of the hotelsNC
FOOD WORK BLITZ
HUNDREDS of migrants working illegally for food delivery companies have been arrested in a week-long crackdown.
The Home Office said they targeted illegal working hotspots and stopped 1,780 people — resulting in 280 arrests.
Operation Equalize, which took place from July 20 to 27, led to 58 e-bikes, £8,000 in cash, and about £460,000 in illicit cigarettes being seized. It also meant that 53 people were having their asylum support reviewed.
Borders minister Dame Angela Eagle said: “Illegal working undermines our border security and we’re cracking down hard on it. That’s why we have intensified our enforcement activity.
“This Government is making sure rules are enforced.”
COPS’ DEMO RAP
Exclusive by Thomas Godfrey
A POLICE force was accused of Orwellian tactics for sending officers to the home of a protester ahead of an anti-migrant demo.
A West Midlands officer delivered a leaflet on how to act at a protest to the address before the march in Nuneaton, Warks.
In an online clip the officer appears to call the leaflet “b******s” but says he was told to bring it by the Warwickshire force. He says: “They’re aware you might be wanting to attend that protest. That’s absolutely fine. I apologise.”
The protest follows Warwickshire police’s denial that they hid the immigration status of two asylum seekers in the town charged with raping a girl of 12.
Ex-Met police detective Peter Bleksley called it “Orwellian and draconian rolled into one”.
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