10 h. ago ‘They just want a better life’: the UK households who host asylum seekers

The charity Refugees at Home helps volunteers with a spare room to lend take in people who have sought refugeUK politics live – latest updates“It’s heartbreaking for me, I don’t understand people putting up the flag,” said Mohammad, who crossed the Channel almost four years ago, desperate to escape persecution. Back then it was rare to see St George’s cross flags as frequently as he does driving around now. The flags are seen as divisive and dangerous in a climate of anti-migrant protests where political discourse is fixated on deportations, small boats and threats to withdraw the UK from human rights frameworks. It has left individuals who have sought refuge in the UK feeling anxious, upset and fearing repercussions.“Immigrants, they just want to have a better life. If our country was safe, was all right, we would never leave,” said Mohammad, who asked to use only his first name fearing reprisals. After facing persecution as a practising Christian in Shia-majority Iran, Mohammad le...

Events

21 h. ago The new migrant hotels: The family homes in leafy suburbia being converted to house small boat migrants as government flounders

A secretive government operation is underway to scatter thousands of asylum seekers across working-class communities and on smart private housing estates bought with taxpayers' money.

Society

21 h. ago STEPHEN GLOVER: Mahmood is impressive. But she's fighting with both her hands tied behind her back

Government spin doctors have been working overtime to convince us that new Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is a down-to-earth pragmatist who will tackle the scourge of illegal immigration.

Politics

34 h. ago Asylum seekers could be moved from hotels to barracks as Starmer’s immigration crackdown begins: UK politics live

A government source said “nothing is off the table” for the new home secretary Shabana Mahmood

Politics

35 h. ago Military barracks plan to end asylum hotel use being drawn up by new Home Secretary

Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is working with the Home Office to help find places to house asylum seekers to speed up hotel closures

Events

36 h. ago Asylum seekers to be housed in barracks as Starmer seeks to tackle immigration

Government confirms it is looking at interpretation of ECHR after major reshuffle by PM

Events

36 h. ago Military sites may be used to house asylum seekers, says defence secretary

John Healey says Keir Starmer is ‘absolutely determined’ to end use of hotels for asylum housing earlier than plannedUK politics live – latest updatesMilitary sites may be used temporarily to house people seeking asylum as Keir Starmer is “absolutely determined” to end the use of hotels earlier than planned, a senior cabinet minister has said.John Healey, the defence secretary, said military planners were looking at possible sites for accommodation on defence bases, as the prime minister wants to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers sooner than the promised date of 2029. Continue reading...

Events

36 h. ago UK military sites may be used to house asylum seekers, says defence secretary

John Healey says Keir Starmer is ‘absolutely determined’ to end use of hotels for asylum housing earlier than plannedUK politics live – latest updatesMilitary sites may be used temporarily to house people seeking asylum as Keir Starmer is “absolutely determined” to end the use of hotels earlier than planned, a senior cabinet minister has said.John Healey, the defence secretary, said military planners were looking at possible sites for accommodation on defence bases, as the prime minister wanted to end the use of hotels to house asylum seekers sooner than the promised date of 2029. Continue reading...

Events

38 h. ago UK politics live: Asylum seekers ‘to be moved from hotels to barracks’ as Starmer toughens immigration plans

Sir Keir Starmer has reshuffled key ministerial posts, including sweeping changes in the Home Office

Politics

3 d. ago Equal longest summer riots sentence for man who stoked fire outside hotel

Matthew Crossland, 32, was jailed for nine years after he fuelled a fire set outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.

Events

3 d. ago One of Britain's biggest asylum hotels is emptied of migrants

For years the four-star Crowne Plaza hotel, near Heathrow, has housed hundreds of asylum seekers. But the sprawling 465-room venue, has had all of its foreign guests removed

Events

4 d. ago Council blasted for letting city centre hotel house migrants unlawfully and approving plans that add rooms for more

A council is under fire after it emerged a Worcester city centre hotel is unlawfully housing asylum seekers - and has been granted planning permission to build extra 'hotel' guest rooms.

Society

4 d. ago This is a disaster unfolding in plain sight. Each day Keir Starmer is smoothing Nigel Farage’s path to No 10 | Owen Jones

A simple, terrible and obvious mistake is being made. The more Labour echoes Reform’s talking points, the more it strengthens themBritain isn’t sleepwalking into catastrophe; it’s charging towards it. Last year, a violent rightwing uprising tore through our streets – an attempted pogrom in which racists tried to burn asylum seekers alive, attacked homes and businesses thought to belong to migrants, petrol-bombed mosques and assaulted people of colour in broad daylight. That disgrace should hang permanently around the necks of the anti-migrant right, a warning of where scapegoating and toxic lies lead.Instead, the revolt succeeded. Anti-migrant rhetoric in politics and the press has grown more venomous. Reform UK now tops polls by a decisive margin. Its leader, Nigel Farage, raises the spectre of “major civil disorder” unless anti-migrant demands are met. Lucy Connolly – who was jailed after calling for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set on fire and is married to a former Conser...

Events

4 d. ago Ellie Goulding 'embarrassed to be British' as she responds to migrant protests

Ellie Goulding admitted she was 'embarrassed to be British' as she shared footage of protestors chanting 'send them back' outside a hotel housing asylum seekers

Events

5 d. ago UK politics live: Starmer considers digital ID cards in crackdown on small boat migrants

Sir Keir Starmer chaired a cabinet meeting as he looked into plans to introduce digital ID cards to tackle illegal immigration

Politics

6 d. ago Welsh hotel forced to deny false claims it's housing asylum seekers

Management said they were left with no choice other than to address the rumours and for people to 'know the truth'

Events

6 d. ago Channel migrants could be moved to WAREHOUSES as Labour scrambles to close asylum hotels with PM holding emergency talks on how to go 'further and faster' on tackling small boats

Yvette Cooper said the Government was looking at 'military and industrial sites' as 'more appropriate' places to house asylum seekers.

Events

6 d. ago Asylum hotels can be closed earlier than key government date, Yvette Cooper says

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper says 'we do believe it can be done earlier' when quizzed on the government's 2029 date to end the use of hotels housing asylum seekers

Politics

7 d. ago ‘Radical’ reforms on asylum laws announced by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper

Labour has vowed to end the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers by the next election but the Prime Minister said he has set the ‘challenge’ of emptying them sooner

Society

7 d. ago Keir Starmer: I want to speed up closing down migrant hotels

Labour has vowed to end the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers by the next election but the Prime Minister said he has set the ‘challenge’ of emptying them sooner

Events