Refugees in 'unsafe' hotel is unacceptable, MP says

Dr Luke Evans, MP for Bosworth, was told of the situation by his constituents

A Leicestershire MP has criticised the Home Office for putting asylum seekers in an "unsafe" hotel.

Dr Luke Evans, Conservative MP for Bosworth, said he was first made aware of the issue when constituents reported activity in the Earl Shilton property.

The building had earlier been rated as unsuitable due to health and safety concerns, especially fire.

Speaking in Parliament, Dr Evans said it was "completely unacceptable" that local authorities had not been told.

There has been a surge in the numbers crossing the Channel illegally

More than 40,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats this year.

MPs were told last month that the UK was spending nearly £7m a day on hotels to house asylum seekers across the country.

Conditions at the Manston migrant processing centre in Kent have been described as "wretched".

Dr Evans told the House of Commons: "I have a hotel in Earl Shilton that has twice been identified to try and deal with the backlog but failed due to health and safety concerns, particularly around fire.

"I was surprised when my constituents had wrote to me saying they had seen asylum seekers in this hotel."

'Incredible pressure'

Dr Evans said he contacted local councils and the police, "none of which knew anything about it", but social media corroborated the story.

He added: "I contacted the Home Office and it took 72 hours for it to be confirmed that they had been placed there.

"This is completely unacceptable."

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: "We have a statutory duty to provide destitute asylum seekers with accommodation.

"We do inform local partners of our actions but due to the incredible pressure on the system recently, despite our ambitions to do that expeditiously sometimes, yes, we have fallen short."

Mick Walker, from refugee charity Leicester City of Sanctuary, said there were about 1,200 asylum seekers in the city, with 200 of these in hotels.

"The asylum system in this country is not fit for purpose and it hasn't been fit for purpose for a very, very long time," he said.

"One of the reasons for that is the Home Office has simply failed to address the problem properly."