In recent weeks there has been a number of protests outside hotels housing asylum seekers. Some of those protests have been organised by far-right groups. All of them are anti-immigrant and against the Labour government.
But in a curious twist, the prime minister announced on Monday that he is “at one” with people who want the asylum seekers out.
Keir Starmer enthusiastically threw his rhetorical support behind the views of the protesters. “I completely get it,” he insisted passionately. "Local people by and large do not want these hotels in their towns, in their place, and nor do I.
“I’m completely at one with them on that,” he said, and vowed to close “every single asylum hotel”.
Block-booking a hotel involves far less administrative overhead than dozens of separate lease agreements. Anyway, flats are hard to find and putting people in flats would increase the impact of the housing shortage on working people.
Also, the Tories put asylum-seekers in hotels during the Covlid pandemic when hospitality businesses of all sorts were going to the wall. It was a silent bail-out.
Here’s an idea. Maybe the people could find a lease agreement for themself. If there’s a shortage, then build more homes. Easy