Blackpool Council accuse Home Office of breaking asylum seeker promises

The Home Office has not revealed the location of the hotel or the nationalities of those staying there

The Home Office has been accused of breaking promises after sending asylum seekers to a hotel in Blackpool despite objections from the local council.

Blackpool Council leader Lynn Williams said about 140 people arrived at a hotel at the weekend despite assurances they would not arrive "before Monday".

She said the authority had been seeking a "legal order" to stop the move, as the hotel needed planning permission.

The Home Office has been approached for comment

It is understood 141 asylum seekers arrived in a resort hotel at the weekend.

Ms Williams said the Labour-led council was "assured by the Home Office" on Wednesday that "we would be informed in advance of any arrivals and that nobody would be placed in the hotel before Monday at the earliest".

"It is therefore extremely disappointing that the Home Office... chose to break this agreement and place people over the weekend without notifying local services," she said.

"This is no way for central government departments and their contractors to behave, and seriously undermines our trust in them."

'Ridiculous decision'

She said a request to stop the hotel accommodating asylum seekers, because of it being in an unsuitable location and lacking the correct planning permission "would have been heard in court today and I am saddened that they have acted in a way that smacks of a deliberate move to frustrate the justice system".

"We remain of the firm view that this hotel, in this location, is wholly unsuitable for the purpose of accommodating and supporting asylum seekers," she said.

She added that the council would be working "to ensure that the appropriate support is in place for the very vulnerable families and children who have arrived with us here in Blackpool".

"I hope our community will show compassion and understanding for the time that they are here."

The Home Office has not revealed the location of the hotel or the nationalities of those staying there.

Both the resort's Conservative MPs had previously opposed Home Office plans to place asylum seekers in the resort.

After being told of the weekend's developments, Blackpool South MP Scott Benton said he was "extremely disappointed that this placement of asylum seekers has occurred".

"Placing a large number of people in a building which is not fit for purpose, at a time when public services in the resort are already under pressure, is a ridiculous decision," he said.

The Home Office has been asked to comment, but has previously stated that the department "always" aims to get in touch with local authorities "at the earliest opportunity" when placing asylum seekers.