Wakefield's Labour MP hits out over increase in asylum seeker hotels

Simon Lightwood said hotels were not suitable for vulnerable people

Wakefield's MP has said he is "frustrated and disappointed" the Home Office is to use more hotel rooms in the area to house refugees.

Labour's Simon Lightwood said the council had been told one hotel was doubling its number of asylum seekers.

He and the council leader have written to the Home Secretary Suella Braverman urging her to reconsider.

The Home Office said it had an obligation to house asylum seekers while their claims were considered.

Mr Lightwood said the Home Office informed the council on Monday that the Cedar Court Hotel at Calder Grove would be increasing its capacity for asylum seekers from 148 to 306 occupants.

It comes after they announced they would also be using another hotel in Newmillerdam, the third in the area to be used as asylum contingency accommodation.

Mr Lightwood said he and the council's Labour leader Denise Jeffery had written to Ms Braverman "in the strongest possible terms".

"I am frustrated and disappointed that the Home Office are more than doubling the usage of this asylum contingency hotel to over 300 occupants," he said.

More than 300 asylum seekers are set to be accommodated at the Cedar Court Hotel near Wakefield

Both he and Ms Jeffery said Wakefield had a "long history of supporting those seeking a safe haven," but added hotels were not suitable for vulnerable and often traumatised people.

Ms Jeffery said the district was not prepared to bear the brunt of the government's "complete and utter incompetence".

"The proposed capacity at hotels across the district far exceeds what is currently in place," she said.

"It raises questions about the health and safety of the situation, potentially leaving vulnerable people living without enough support."

The MP and council leader fear additional refugees will impact public services

A Home Office spokesperson said it had a statutory obligation to provide accommodation for asylum seekers while their claims were considered.

"The significant increase in illegal, unnecessary and dangerous Channel crossings has put our asylum system under incredible strain and made it necessary to continue to use hotels to accommodate some asylum seekers," its statement added.

"We are committed to making every effort to reduce hotel use and continue to engage with local authorities as early as possible whenever sites are used for asylum accommodation."