STARmer: I Wouldn't Want A Migrant Hotel Near My Family — Epping 'Bell Hotel' Ruling Fuels 19 Councils' Legal Push

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would not want a migrant hotel near his family’s home while defending the government’s use of hotels to house more than 32,000 asylum seekers. The Court of Appeal overturned a temporary injunction to close the Bell Hotel in Epping; Epping Forest Council may seek a High Court hearing in October and at least 19 other councils are reportedly preparing similar legal action. The dispute spotlights tensions between the Home Office’s statutory duty to house asylum seekers and local authorities' objections.