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Councils Challenge Use of Hotels for Asylum Seekers Following Court Ruling. Councils across England are preparing legal action to remove asylum seekers from hotels in their areas after a High Court ruling temporarily blocked The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, from housing them. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said all 10 councils under his party’s control would follow Epping’s lead while a Conservative council in Broxbourne is also considering similar action. The judge ruled the hotel posed public safety risks and breached planning laws. Government ministers, including Border Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle, stressed they are working with local authorities to address concerns. The Home Office now faces pressure to find alternative accommodation for asylum seekers in hotels with over 32,000 currently housed in 210 sites across the UK. Some councils, like South Norfolk, are taking a different approach, focusing on families rather than single adult males. The ruling could set a precedent, prompting more councils to seek legal action and complicating the government’s plan to phase out hotel accommodation for asylum seekers by the end of this parliament.
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