Davey blames Farage and Tories for asylum hotels

Sir Ed Davey made the comments during a visit to Millrace Furniture in Chelmsford, which supports people's mental health and wellbeing in the local community

Sir Ed Davey has called on Nigel Farage and the Conservative Party to apologise to people protesting outside hotels, claiming they caused the problem of small boat arrivals and migrants needing to be housed.

During a visit to Chelmsford, the Lib Dem leader argued that boat arrivals were significantly higher since the end of return agreements with the EU.

"Nigel Farage, rather than posturing and stirring up division, should be apologising for causing this problem along with the Conservatives," he said.

But Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp accused Sir Ed of "trying to rewrite history for his own pro-EU rhetoric and choosing to play politics with an issue that requires seriousness".

Reform UK has been contacted for a response.

Anti-migrant protests like this one in Epping have been taking place across the country

Sir Ed blamed Farage and the Conservatives for the number of asylum seekers arriving by boat and the use of hotels to house them.

"I think Nigel Farage and the Conservatives should be apologising to those people protesting and saying sorry we caused it," he said.

"Before Brexit, we had a returns agreement with every European country. We were able to return people by law. They couldn't stop us. And it acted as a real deterrent effect.

"The Conservatives and Nigel Farage need to answer for why they destroyed those return agreements that we had and why they have caused this problem in the first place."

The Conservative government first started recording arrivals by boat across the channel in 2018, and in December that year declared a major incident when arrivals climbed into the hundreds.

The rise coincided with tighter security around French ports and the Eurotunnel where people had attempted to cross inside lorries and vehicles.

Migrants arriving by boat increased year-on-year and peaked in 2022 at 45,755. More than 29,000 have crossed the channel by boat so far this year.

Nigel Farage has said Reform UK councils will try to close asylum hotels

Nigel Farage told the Reform UK conference in Birmingham: "Is it any wonder that the protests have sprung up outside the hotels? We are in economic decline. We are in societal breakdown with law and order. We are in cultural decline."

But Philp said: "The Conservatives, with our Deportations Bill, have backed stronger laws, faster removals, and tougher border security". He accused the Lib Dems of "opposing every serious measure — from Rwanda to deporting foreign criminals".

The Labour government has said it is committed to ending the use of hotels by 2029 - and it has halved the number being used to about 200.

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said Farage and the Conservatives should apologise to the protesters outside asylum hotels

Sir Ed Davey said his party would process applications quicker and give asylum seekers the right to work after three months of being in the UK, whilst their status is being determined.

He said asylum seekers would "no longer be a drain on the taxpayer, but they're actually contributing to our economy".

Nigel Farage has said Reform UK led councils would look at taking legal action to end asylum hotels.

Kemi Badenoch also wrote to Conservative council leaders, telling them "we back you to take similar action" to Tory-run Epping Forest District Council.

The council tried to get the temporary closure of a hotel housing migrants in its area. It is preparing for a full injunction hearing at the High Court next month.

Davey was asked if Lib Dem-controlled councils should look at legal action against asylum hotels.

"They should take the decisions depending on the circumstances in their community," he said.

"I believe in local communities taking decisions for themselves and not national politicians pretending that one size fits all."