Boris Johnson and Andy Burnham Have No Place in Westminster
And now, somewhat more prosaically, the words are being applied to Labour's Andy Burnham and former Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson — 'over the water' in Manchester and, um, a sunlounger in Greece, respectively — with supporters clamoring for their return to Westminster politics and reclamation of their rightful place at the heads of their parties.
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4 hours ago
- Yahoo
'Chilling' political interference of BBC must stop, says former news boss
The BBC should be protected from "political interference", the corporation's former director of news has said, after the culture secretary appeared to call for the resignation of director-general Tim Davie earlier this year. Lisa Nandy said ministers expected "accountability at the highest levels" following the iPlayer broadcast of Bob Vylan's highly controversial Glastonbury set in June. James Harding, who previously edited the Times and now runs Tortoise Media, told the Edinburgh TV Festival the BBC should remain independent of government, and said Nandy's close involvement in the Bob Vylan scandal was "chilling". In response, a DCMS spokesperson said: "The culture secretary has been repeatedly clear that the role of the director general is a matter for the BBC board. Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue." In his keynote MacTaggart Lecture, Harding said the perception of a "political presence looming over the BBC" is a problem and that the broadcaster needs to be "beyond the reach of politicians". Several staff were asked to step back from their duties after the live streaming of Bob Vylan's Glastonbury set, where the punk duo led chants of "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]" and made other derogatory comments. Nandy's subsequent call for accountability at the top of the corporation for the decision not to pull the live stream of the performance was subsequently interpreted as calling for Davie's resignation. In his speech, Harding criticised "political interference", or the perception of it, in relation to the BBC, saying it was something "we've got too accustomed to". "The culture secretary's office insists she did not explicitly ask Samir Shah, the BBC chair, to deliver up the director general's resignation... but people inside the BBC were left in no doubt that was the message," Harding said. "Whatever your view of the hate speech vs freedom of speech issues, an overbearing government minister doesn't help anyone," he said. "The hiring and firing of [the director general] should not be the job of a politician." A DCMS spokesperson said: "The BBC has itself acknowledged a number of serious failings in recent months, including the broadcasting of the Bob Vylan set at Glastonbury. It is entirely right that the culture secretary raised these issues with the BBC leadership on behalf of licence fee payers. "The government remains committed to the very important principle that the BBC is operationally and editorially independent. We are focused on securing a sustainable future for the BBC and helping strengthen public trust in the Corporation as part of the upcoming Charter Review." Read about previous MacTaggart Lectures: 2018: Michaela Coel reveals she was sexually assaulted 2019: Dorothy Byrne says media have right to call politicians 'liars' 2020: David Olusoga: 'TV industry left me crushed' 2021: TV has 'utterly failed' disabled people, writer Jack Thorne says 2022: Maitlis says BBC rebuke over Cummings remarks made no sense 2023: Louis Theroux: Anxious TV bosses should stop playing it safe 2024: James Graham calls for more working-class people in TV The BBC has been criticised for a number of high-profile scandals in recent months, such as breaching its own editorial guidelines on accuracy in relation to a documentary about Gaza. Elsewhere, Match of the Day host Gary Lineker left the BBC after sharing an Instagram reel about Zionism that featured an illustration of a rat, considered an antisemitic slur. Harding said the BBC was "not institutionally antisemitic", and that it was "untrue and unhelpful to say it is", adding that it was "much better to correct the mistakes and address the judgement calls that have been wrong". He acknowledged the BBC had "made mistakes... and it can be much too slow to correct them". Referring to a debate early in the conflict about the BBC's use of language, Harding said he thought it the BBC was "wrong not to use the word 'terrorist' for the attacks of October 7th; journalists shouldn't censor words, but use them accurately". Harding did not comment on the events surrounding Lineker's resignation, but did say he felt football pundits generally "should be able to have views as a citizen, as well as a job as a BBC broadcaster". Harding also used his speech to argue the BBC has a crucial role to play in defending truth in an age of artificial intelligence (AI) and declining trust in traditional media. "A shared understanding of what's true is disappearing before our eyes," he said. "More people are paranoid, prone to conspiracy theories. Large numbers of people are giving up on the idea of facts." He continued: "Politics and technology are doing untold damage to trust in the world. "On the one hand, politicians are trying to control or cancel the media, particularly news. On the other, AI is beginning to lay waste to the economics of information, while also remaking the job of storytellers." In an age where "we're more divided, more certain we're right", Harding argued, the BBC should be protected and championed as the "most important source of information in this country". He said the corporation was "the best defence of truth and trust against the lies of dictators and demagogues". The BBC's royal charter will be up for renewal in 2027, and it has not yet been decided whether the licence fee will be replaced by a new funding system. Harding reflected: "We're at the beginning of a new information age, if we want it to be truly creative, innovative and competitive globally, we can't short-change the BBC again. "We need, surely, to be thinking about a mix of funding that gets closer to doubling its resources," Harding said. "Because obviously, given the cost of living, that's not going to happen just through the licence fee. "Over five years, nearly two-and-half million households have dropped out of paying the licence fee, so this needs fixing. It's expensive and unfair on those who pay. If we believe in the universality of the BBC, we need to return to the principle in some form or other that every household pays." Harding also suggested news and current affairs programmes could be opened up to independent producers in an effort to make the BBC more of a "people's platform" and allow more varied thinking while maintaining standards of truth and accuracy. YouTube now second only to BBC as media destination Social media now main source of news in US, research suggests BBC senior staff told to 'step back' from duties following row Lineker to leave BBC sooner than planned after antisemitism row UK broadcasters 'need urgent boost from YouTube' BBC boss vows to tackle Britain's 'crisis of trust'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Here's how much it costs to house asylum seekers in UK hotels
Councils across England may take legal action to remove asylum seekers from hotels after a court injunction A landmark court judgment that has temporarily blocked asylum seekers from being housed at a hotel in Essex has left many councils considering similar court actions. On Tuesday (19 August) the High Court granted Epping Forest District Council an interim injunction to block asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell Hotel. The judge in the case ruled in favour of the council when it argued the hotel had become a public safety risk and had breached planning law. The hotel must stop housing asylum seekers by 4pm on 12 September. In response Broxbourne Council in Hertfordshire said it was taking legal advice 'as a matter of urgency' to perhaps take similar legal action. And Reform UK has stated that all 12 councils controlled by the party will "do everything in their power to follow Epping's lead", according to leader Nigel Farage. Why does this matter? The injunction poses a huge problem for the UK government who may now battle the court decision at the Court of Appeal and face the prospect of rehousing thousands. Home Office lawyers had argued during the hearing that the case had a "substantial impact" on the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, in performing her legal duties to asylum seekers. The Labour government's attempt to delay the application was rejected by Mr Justice Eyre. The Bell Hotel has become the focus of ongoing protests in recent weeks following allegations involving individuals residing there under the asylum system. The demonstrations began after Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, an asylum seeker staying at the hotel, was charged with the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl. He has denied these charges. In a separate case, another resident of the hotel, Syrian national Mohammed Sharwarq, has been charged with seven offences, which he denies. Additionally, several other men have been charged in connection with disorder that took place outside the premises. How many asylum seekers are placed in hotels? Since around 2020, there has been increased use of hotels for contingency asylum accommodation. The rise has been attributed to several factors, such as the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent public health measures; an increase in the number of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats; and a backlog in unresolved asylum cases. Home Office data states that a total of 109,343 people claimed asylum in the UK in the year ending March 2025. This was 17% more than in the year ending March 2024 and 6% more than the previous peak of 103,081 in 2002. The Migration Observatory, an independent research project focused on analysing migration and migrants in the UK, said that at the end of March there were 32,345 asylum seekers in hotels. This represents 30% of all supported asylum seekers in this period and has dropped from 34,530 last year and 47,518 in 2023. The peak number of asylum seekers housed was 56,042 at the end of September 2023. The majority of asylum seekers being housed in hotels are in London. In March 12,024 60% of asylum seekers living in hotels, were housed in the capital. A written parliamentary response in February 2025 confirmed 218 hotels were being used to house asylum seekers, with seven due to close in April. How much does it cost? Analysis by the Migration Observatory across 2024-25 states the average daily cost of housing an asylum seeker in a hotel was estimated to be £170 per person. This has decreased slightly in the financial year 2024/25 falling from the equivalent of £176 per person last year. The three-month average nightly rate in asylum hotels has also declined from £162 in April 2024 to £119 in March 2025, as the number of hotels being used also dropping. This reduction in cost is likely due to several factors, including the Home Office closing some hotels, accommodating more people in each hotel, implementing room-sharing policies, and possibly choosing hotels with cheaper nightly rates. The cost of using a hotel is more than six times more expensive than using other types of accommodation, with a rate of £27 being the average for other types of accommodation. When you multiply the three-month average rate of £119 per night, by the number of housed asylum seekers, it costs the UK government around £3,849,055 per night. Arguing for the Bell Hotels owner's Somani Hotels, Piers Riley-Smith, said during the court hearing that asylum seekers a "financial lifeline" to the hotel. He added it was only 1% full in August 2022, when it was open to paying customers. Why hotel court ruling creates such a problem The Home Office has been attempting to come to grips with a growing number of asylum seekers attempting to find alternatives to costly hotels. Labour has said it plans to empty the hotels housing asylum seekers by 2029, although some contracts run beyond this. The judge ruled against Somani Hotels, after Epping Forest District Council cited alleged breaches of planning laws. The government will likely challenge the decision, as they did on Tuesday, believing the ruling "substantially impact" the government's ability to house asylum seekers. If other local councils follow Epping's lead, and are successful, this could mean the mass rehousing of thousands of migrants. Dan Jarvis, Minister of State for Security, said Labour has "never thought that hotels were an appropriate source of accommodation for asylum seekers" and the government was looking at "alternative accommodation arrangements". In June, a Home Affairs Committee heard how the government was looking at buying tower blocks and former student accommodation to house migrants. Another possible alternative is for the government to house asylum seekers in flats or houses that have been rented from private landlords or social housing providers. These plans can be resisted locally, as when in October this year more than 1,000 people protested in Waterlooville, Hampshire, when plans were announced accommodate 35 families in flats above shops. The removal of migrants from hotels to private accommodation is likely to save the UK government money, as hotels are the most expensive way to house asylum seekers. This would also mean many would be relocated to housing in 'cheaper areas' of the UK, according to former Conservative MP Damian Green, who served as a minster under Theresa May. Subsequent governments have failed to establish large accommodation sites in buildings such as disused military barracks. One site, Wethersfield, a former Ministry of Defence site in Braintree, Essex, may increase its capacity to house single adult male asylum seekers. But creating large-scale sites like this can be costly. In 2024, the National Audit Office (NAO), published a report which revealed the initial set-up costs for Wethersfield were initially estimated at about £5m, but had ballooned to around £49m. Mr Green said the government should use purpose-built housing, like the Nightingale hospitals used during Covid to "toughen up" the accommodation to use as a deterrent so as not seen as 'offensively luxurious'. In 2022 the Conservative government said it would use 'large sites', such as former military facilities, barges, ferries, and cruise ships. One such site was The Bibby Stockholm, a converted barge moored in Dorset which was subsequently decommissioned by the Labour government in November 2024 amid safety concerns. The barge, which provided accommodation for up to 400 single male asylum seekers a night at maximum occupancy, had cost the taxpayer at least £34.8m, according to the National Audit Office. Another site that could be adapted for use is the Napier Barracks in Kent, which is set to be closed in September 2025. In June 2021 it was found that the site provided inadequate accommodation for asylum seekers, that the Home Office's process for selecting people to be accommodated at the Barracks was flawed and unlawful, and that residents of Napier Barracks were unlawfully detained.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Two Labour-run councils 'considering all options' to challenge migrant hotel use
Two Labour-run councils have said they are considering taking legal action to stop the use of hotels to house migrants in their areas after Epping council won a temporary injunction on Tuesday. The leaders of Wirral and Tamworth councils both say they are considering their legal options in the wake of the Epping case, citing similar concerns about the impact of the hotels on their local communities. Epping Forest District Council won an interim High Court injunction to stop migrants from being accommodated at The Bell Hotel, after arguing its owners did not have planning permission to use it to house migrants. Politics latest: In a statement, Paula Basnett, the Labour leader of Wirral council, said: "Like many other local authorities, we have concerns about the Home Office's practice of placing asylum seekers in hotels without consultation or regard to local planning requirements. "We are actively considering all options available to us to ensure that any use of hotels or other premises in Wirral is lawful and does not ride roughshod over planning regulations or the wishes of our communities. "Wirral has always been proud of its record in supporting families and those fleeing conflict, but it is unacceptable for the government to impose unsuitable, short-term arrangements that disrupt communities and bypass local decision-making. "If necessary, we will not hesitate to challenge such decisions in order to protect both residents and those seeking refuge." Carol Dean, the Labour leader of Tamworth Borough Council, said she understands the "strong feelings" of residents about the use of a local hotel to house asylum seekers, and that the council is "listening to their concerns and taking them seriously". She pointed out that under the national Labour government, the use of hotels has halved from 402 to 210, with the aim of stopping the use of any hotels by the end of this parliament. But she continued: "Following the temporary High Court injunction granted to Epping Forest District Council, we are closely monitoring developments and reviewing our legal position in light of this significant ruling." Cllr Dean added that they had previously explored their legal options to challenge the use of the hotel but decided against them, as temporary injunctions were not being upheld. However, the Epping ruling "represents a potentially important legal precedent", which is why they are "carefully assessing" its significance for Tamworth. "We fully recognise the UK government has a statutory duty to accommodate people seeking asylum. However, we have consistently maintained that the prolonged use of hotel accommodation may not represent the best approach - either for our local community or for the asylum seekers themselves," she said. "We will continue to work constructively with government departments and all relevant agencies while making sure the voice of our community is heard at the highest levels of government." Last night, Conservative-run Broxbourne Council also announced it was exploring its legal options, and the Reform UK leader of Kent County said she was writing to fellow leaders in Kent to explore whether they could potentially take legal action as well. Use of Epping hotel 'sidestepped public scrutiny' The prime minister and the home secretary are under huge pressure to clear the asylum backlog and stop using hotels across the country to house those waiting for their applications to be processed. Protests have sprung up at migrant hotels across the country. But The Bell Hotel in Epping became a focal point in recent weeks after an asylum seeker housed there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Epping Forest District Council sought an interim High Court injunction to stop migrants from being accommodated at the hotel, owned by Somani Hotels Limited, on the basis that using it for that purpose contravened local planning regulations. The interim injunction demanded that the hotel be cleared of its occupants within 14 days, but in his ruling on Tuesday, Mr Justice Eyre granted the temporary block, while extending the time limit by which it must stop housing asylum seekers to 12 September. Somani Hotels said it intended to appeal the decision, its barrister, Piers Riley-Smith, arguing it would set a precedent that could affect "the wider strategy" of housing asylum seekers in hotels. A government attempt to delay the application was rejected by the High Court judge earlier on Tuesday, Home Office barristers arguing the case had a "substantial impact" on the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, in performing her legal duties to asylum seekers. But Mr Justice Eyre dismissed the Home Office's bid, stating that the department's involvement was "not necessary". Read more: The judge said the hotel's owners "sidestepped the public scrutiny and explanation which would otherwise have taken place if an application for planning permission or for a certificate of lawful use had been made". He added: "It was also deliberately taking the chance that its understanding of the legal position was incorrect. This is a factor of particular weight in the circumstances of this case." Reacting to Tuesday's judgment, border security minister Dame Angela Eagle said the government will "continue working with local authorities and communities to address legitimate concerns". She added: "Our work continues to close all asylum hotels by the end of this parliament."
