UK Government to Move Asylum Hotel Migrants to Military Barracks in Policy Shift
The UK government plans to move asylum seekers from hotels to military barracks in a tougher new immigration policy. The move, aimed at closing dozens of hotels, is part of a broader strategy that also includes a "one in, one out" returns deal with Germany to address the small boats crisis.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The United Kingdom government is set to unveil a significant shift in its approach to the ongoing migrant crisis, with plans to move asylum seekers from hotels into more rudimentary accommodation on former military bases, a move instructed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of an effort to "get a grip" on the small boats issue. According to a report by The Telegraph, the new policy will be announced imminently by the recently appointed Home Office minister, Shabana Mahmood, who has been tasked with drawing up harsher measures to stop illegal channel crossings.
The plan involves closing dozens of asylum hotels across the country, which have become focal points for protests and have been criticized for offering what some describe as a "luxury" lifestyle at the taxpayer's expense. Instead, migrants will be housed in barracks on former Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites, a policy that expands upon a similar but more limited approach taken by the previous Conservative government.
Currently, two former bases, MDP Wethersfield in Essex and Napier Barracks in Folkestone, are being used for this purpose, a practice that has drawn significant opposition from pro-migrant groups who have compared the facilities to prisons.
This new, more robust policy represents a notable pivot for the Labour government. Just a year ago, the party had been developing plans to end the use of these military sites altogether.
The former Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, had also closed down the Bibby Stockholm, a controversial barge procured by the Tories to house migrants, and was reportedly planning to move asylum seekers from hotels into "dispersal" accommodation, such as government-rented houses and flats. However, that approach also faced significant local opposition.
Ms. Mahmood's appointment to the Home Office, replacing Ms. Cooper who was moved to become Foreign Secretary, signals a clear intent from British Prime Minister Starmer to adopt a tougher stance on immigration. Her first full day in the new role coincided with approximately 1,000 migrants crossing the English Channel, a stark illustration of the scale of the challenge she faces.
According to The Telegraph, the Prime Minister has told the department he wants all asylum hotels closed well before the party's previous target date of 2029.
In a parallel diplomatic effort, the report states that UK government negotiators are close to finalizing a "one in, one out" returns deal with Germany. This agreement is expected to mirror a similar one already signed with France, under which Britain can return approximately 50 Channel migrants per week.
For each person deported, the UK will accept a vetted asylum seeker from France who has not yet attempted the sea crossing. As migrant boats do not launch from Germany, it is likely the new deal will cover migrants who have transited through Germany to reach France.
A source familiar with Ms. Mahmood’s thinking told The Telegraph that her position is going to be "nothing is off the table," while another added that her appointment "shows how seriously Keir takes securing our borders."
In addition to the new housing and returns policies, Ms. Mahmood will also take over a review into how foreign criminals are using human rights laws to avoid deportation.
The government's new direction comes amid growing criticism of the Prime Minister’s pledge to smash people-smuggling gangs and a political landscape where both the opposition Conservatives and the Reform UK party are advocating for increasingly radical immigration policies. Nigel Farage of Reform UK has proposed barring all Channel migrants from claiming asylum and housing them in detention centers, while former Conservative minister Robert Jenrick has argued for placing them in "rudimentary prisons, not holiday camps."
The policy shift is part of a wider government reshuffle and reset by Prime Minister Starmer, who has put "reformers" into key departments to drive his agenda. Announcing the new appointments, the Prime Minister said, "Phase two of this Government is about delivery, and this is a government that will renew Britain and deliver the change that people voted for."
