Charlie Falconer says government was right to challenge Epping hotel ruling but now has to ‘move forward’
A former Labour justice secretary has warned that Reform UK will continue to rise in opinion polls unless the government moves faster to close hotels housing people seeking asylum.
On Friday, the government won a court of appeal challenge against an injunction by Epping Forest district council that would have resulted in 130 asylum seekers being moved out of the Bell hotel. In recent weeks the hotel has become the focus of repeated protests, some of which have been orchestrated by far-right extremists and have turned violent.
Despite the technical victory for the Home Office, as other local councils could have brought legal challenges against the use of hotels if the appeal had not been successful, ministers are braced for further legal battles.
Charlie Falconer, who served as lord chancellor and justice secretary under Tony Blair, said the government was right to take the Epping case to the court of appeal but that people wanted action to close asylum hotels.
