National Liberal Club distances itself from Farage
Unfortunately, the hotel's site also encompasses the National Liberal Club, the haunt of choice for that rarest of all breeds: senior Liberal Democrats. The likes of Nick Clegg and Tim Farron have made speeches here while Charles Kennedy's infamous Newsnight interview was filmed in the club smoking room. At least 25 MPs have snaffled free memberships since the last election too. And it seems that the right-on Lib Dems are not too happy at lengthy journalistic reports linking
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Rhyl Journal
4 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Government working on contingency plans after ruling on Epping migrant hotel
Ministers are now bracing for further legal challenges from councils across the country. Security minister Dan Jarvis told Times Radio on Wednesday: 'We're looking at a range of different contingency options following from a legal ruling that took place yesterday, and we'll look closely at what we're able to do.' Asked whether other migrant hotels have the proper planning permission, Mr Jarvis said: 'Well, we'll see over the next few days and weeks. 'Other local authorities will be considering whether they wish to act in the same way that Epping (Forest) District Council have. A STATEMENT FROM NIGEL FARAGE This is a victory for the parents and concerned residents of Epping. They do not want their young women being assaulted on the streets. This community stood up bravely, despite being slandered as far right, and have won. They represent the vast… — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) August 19, 2025 'I think the important point to make is that nobody really thinks that hotels are a sustainable location to accommodate asylum seekers. 'That's precisely why the Government has made a commitment that, by the end of this Parliament, we would have phased out the use of them.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has indicated that councils run by his party will consider their own legal challenges. However, a number of these councils do not have responsibility for planning permission, which may limit their ability to launch legal challenges. Mr Farage also called for peaceful protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers to put pressure on local authorities to take the same route as Epping Forest. Writing in The Telegraph, he said: 'Now the good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around Britain. 'Wherever people are concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels and who are free to walk their streets, they should follow the example of the town in Essex. 'Let's hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win.' On Tuesday, a High Court judge ruled the former Bell Hotel in Epping must stop housing asylum seekers by September 12. Epping Forest District Council had asked a judge to issue an interim injunction stopping migrants from being accommodated there. The hotel has been at the centre of a series of protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker who was staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Our work with international partners is vital to stopping small boat crossings to the UK. A joint intelligence unit involving the @NCA_UK and French counterparts has helped dismantle at least 52 organised immigration crime gangs operating in France. — Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) August 17, 2025 The Home Office had warned the judge that an injunction could 'interfere' with the department's legal obligations, and lawyers representing the hotel's owner argued it would set a 'precedent'. Now, Conservative-run Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire has said it was taking legal advice 'as a matter of urgency' about whether it could take similar action to Epping Forest District Council, which is also run by the Tories. The latest Home Office data showed there were 32,345 asylum seekers being housed temporarily in UK hotels at the end of March. This was down 15% from the end of December, when the total was 38,079, and 6% lower than the 34,530 at the same point a year earlier. New figures – published among the usual quarterly immigration data release – are expected on Thursday, showing numbers in hotels at the end of June. Figures for hotels published by the Home Office date back to December 2022 and showed numbers hit a peak at the end of September 2023 when there were 56,042 asylum seekers in hotels.
Glasgow Times
5 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Government working on contingency plans after ruling on Epping migrant hotel
Ministers are now bracing for further legal challenges from councils across the country. Security minister Dan Jarvis told Times Radio on Wednesday: 'We're looking at a range of different contingency options following from a legal ruling that took place yesterday, and we'll look closely at what we're able to do.' Asked whether other migrant hotels have the proper planning permission, Mr Jarvis said: 'Well, we'll see over the next few days and weeks. 'Other local authorities will be considering whether they wish to act in the same way that Epping (Forest) District Council have. A STATEMENT FROM NIGEL FARAGE This is a victory for the parents and concerned residents of Epping. They do not want their young women being assaulted on the streets. This community stood up bravely, despite being slandered as far right, and have won. They represent the vast… — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) August 19, 2025 'I think the important point to make is that nobody really thinks that hotels are a sustainable location to accommodate asylum seekers. 'That's precisely why the Government has made a commitment that, by the end of this Parliament, we would have phased out the use of them.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has indicated that councils run by his party will consider their own legal challenges. However, a number of these councils do not have responsibility for planning permission, which may limit their ability to launch legal challenges. Mr Farage also called for peaceful protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers to put pressure on local authorities to take the same route as Epping Forest. Writing in The Telegraph, he said: 'Now the good people of Epping must inspire similar protests around Britain. 'Wherever people are concerned about the threat posed by young undocumented males living in local hotels and who are free to walk their streets, they should follow the example of the town in Essex. 'Let's hold peaceful protests outside the migrant hotels, and put pressure on local councils to go to court to try and get the illegal immigrants out; we now know that together we can win.' On Tuesday, a High Court judge ruled the former Bell Hotel in Epping must stop housing asylum seekers by September 12. Epping Forest District Council had asked a judge to issue an interim injunction stopping migrants from being accommodated there. The hotel has been at the centre of a series of protests in recent weeks after an asylum seeker who was staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Our work with international partners is vital to stopping small boat crossings to the UK. A joint intelligence unit involving the @NCA_UK and French counterparts has helped dismantle at least 52 organised immigration crime gangs operating in France. — Home Office (@ukhomeoffice) August 17, 2025 The Home Office had warned the judge that an injunction could 'interfere' with the department's legal obligations, and lawyers representing the hotel's owner argued it would set a 'precedent'. Now, Conservative-run Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire has said it was taking legal advice 'as a matter of urgency' about whether it could take similar action to Epping Forest District Council, which is also run by the Tories. The latest Home Office data showed there were 32,345 asylum seekers being housed temporarily in UK hotels at the end of March. This was down 15% from the end of December, when the total was 38,079, and 6% lower than the 34,530 at the same point a year earlier. New figures – published among the usual quarterly immigration data release – are expected on Thursday, showing numbers in hotels at the end of June. Figures for hotels published by the Home Office date back to December 2022 and showed numbers hit a peak at the end of September 2023 when there were 56,042 asylum seekers in hotels.
The National
28 minutes ago
- The National
Scottish councillor joins Reform UK after quitting 'autocratic' Labour
Julie MacDougall, who previously sat as an independent councillor for Fife Council after she quit Labor, revealed on Wednesday that she has joined Nigel Farage's Reform UK. MacDougall, who represents the Kinghorn and Burntisland area, quit the Labour Party last year after she claimed she was blocked from becoming a general election candidate in favour of the London-based Melanie Ward to contest the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency. The now Reform councillor is the daughter of the late John MacDougall, who was an ally of Gordon Brown and served as a Labour MP for Glenrothes from 2001 until his death in 2008. READ MORE: Budding Scottish Labour candidate defends anti-Gaelic school stance Announcing that she had joined Reform, MacDougall said she wanted a more 'grown up' and 'authentic' politics. She said: 'I will always do my best to help and improve people's lives. That's where my passion has always lay, with you, my community. (Image: Fife Council) 'After thoughtful consultation I am delighted to join Reform UK to become part of a team who want to deliver real change for our communities. 'I want more grown up, authentic politics and an opportunity to work together to offer better. I look forward to this exciting new chapter and I remain fully committed to serving the people of Fife as always with my full commitment, honesty and integrity.' MacDougall previously blasted her former colleagues in the Labour Party for selecting Ward, who ultimately won the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat, for 'imposing' parachut candidates on voters. At the time she said: 'It is no secret that candidates are being imposed on members and constituents in a non-democratic, autocratic manner which I simply cannot support. 'Our local area is being denied the opportunity to have a local candidate and in my opinion this is not acceptable.' MacDougall was elected to represent the Burntisland, Kinghorn and Western Kirkcaldy ward in May 2022. Her father was the former leader of Fife Council along with being an MP for Labour and was also a Rosyth Dockyard worker. 'I know he would have been thoroughly disappointed at what has been happening, particularly here in Fife,' MacDougall said. 'I have lost faith in the Labour Party and do not believe it is practising what it preaches while upholding its core values.'
