SIR Keir Starmer sparked uproar yesterday by claiming there was plenty of spare housing for both illegal migrants and homeless Brits.
Critics claimed the Home Office was swallowing up temporary accommodation for asylum seekers at the expense of poor families.
PASir Keir Starmer sparked uproar for claiming there was plenty of spare housing for both illegal migrants and homeless Brits[/caption]
GettyThe PM was grilled by the Liaison Committee of senior MPs over concerns that British homeless people were left competing with migrants[/caption]
Labour has vowed to end the use of asylum hotels by the 2029 election, in part by moving migrants to cheaper forms of taxpayer-funded accommodation.
Yet there is already a 1.3 million-strong waiting list for social housing.
And the PM was left squirming when he was grilled by the Liaison Committee of senior MPs over concerns that British homeless people were left competing with migrants.
Sir Keir said: “I know, which is why I am so furious at the last Government for leaving tens of thousands of asylum seekers unprocessed, with nowhere to live, other than accommodation paid for by the taxpayer.”
Pressed on if there was insufficient housing, he insisted: “Oh, there is lots of housing and many local authorities that can be used. We’re identifying where it can be used.”
But he could not identify what spare accommodation he was referring to, saying he would have to get back to the committee.
Chair Meg Hillier told him: “I have to say, in a number of our local authorities there isn’t a lot of spare housing available. If there were, then councils would be able to be dealing with it by now.”
Last night Tory Robert Jenrick blasted: “There are 1.3 million people on social housing waiting lists in England alone. But Keir Starmer believes there’s ‘lots of housing’ spare. That’s madness.”
Migrant accommodation is a growing source of voter anger.
Yesterday Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle granted an urgent debate following The Sun’s investigation into crimes linked to many hotels.
And Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp warned of a “public safety crisis”.
Home Office minister Dame Diana Johnson hit back, accusing the Tories of leaving the asylum system in chaos.
She said the Government is cracking down with more deportations and new tagging powers.
GettyThere is already a 1.3million-strong waiting list for social housing[/caption]
Darren FletcherLabour has pledged to end the use of asylum hotels by the 2029 Election[/caption]
Anger has recently centred on the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, following an alleged sex assault on a local girl of 14.
Six people were arrested on Sunday after a protest turned violent, with police condemning the scenes as “mindless thuggery”.
Epping’s MP Dr Neil Hudson warned the crisis was “boiling over”.
He added: “The hotel is in the wrong place. It’s near a school and there’s inadequate safeguarding of the hotel’s vulnerable residents.”
Meanwhile ministers have announced a crackdown on people-smuggling bosses, with new powers to freeze the assets and block the travel of gang leaders, corrupt cops and companies supplying boats and fake documents.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the UK will not accept the “status quo” as criminals prey on the “hopes of vulnerable people”.
A man aged 33 was yesterday granted bail on charges of using or threatening violence, causing others to fear for their safety, at the Epping hotel on Thursday.
Southend magistrates’ court told Keith Silk, of Hockley, Essex, he would go before Chelmsford crown court next month.
Shutterstock EditorialChris Philp warned of a ‘public safety crisis’[/caption]
PARobert Jenrick blasted: ‘There are 1.3million people on social housing waiting lists in England alone. But Keir Starmer believes there’s ‘lots of housing’ spare. That’s madness’[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
