Yvette Cooper vows to reverse 'chaotic and disorderly situation' of Epping asylum hotel in fiery statement
The Government plans to appeal against a court ruling blocking the use of an Epping hotel to house asylum seekers
Closing asylum hotels must be "orderly" rather than through "piecemeal court decisions", the Home Secretary has said.
Yvette Cooper has issued a statement following news that the Government plans to appeal against a court ruling blocking the use of an Epping hotel.
The Home Office will seek to appeal against the High Court’s refusal to allow it to intervene in the case, and to then further appeal against the temporary injunction.
On Friday, Ms Cooper said ministers are working to close hotels housing asylum seekers "as swiftly as possible" as part of an "orderly" programme that avoids creating problems for other areas.
"That is the reason for the Home Office appeal in this case," she added. "To ensure that going forward, the closure of all hotels can be done in a properly managed way right across the country – without creating problems for other areas and local councils."
Her comments come as Somani Hotels, the owner of the Bell Hotel in Epping, also announced plans to appeal against the court order blocking the use of its business as accommodation for asylum seekers.
On Tuesday, the High Court granted Epping Forest District Council the temporary injunction to remove asylum seekers from the hotel in Essex from September 12.
The local authority had sought legal action after the accommodation site had been at the centre of protests in recent weeks.
Those demonstrations came about after an asylum seeker was charged with trying to kiss a 14-year-old girl, which he denies.
A 24-year-old Somalian refugee living at the hotel told Manchester Evening News that residents are "living in pain and fear".
Khadar Mohamed told reporters Shekhar Bhatia and Kit Roberts: "I want everybody to know that there are no paedophiles and rapists living inside this hotel.
"We don't sympathise with that behaviour and if we had had the chance we would have stopped it. It is only one claim against an individual, not against everybody inside the hotel."
He continued: "So now we've got 50 to 60 days to leave and none of us know what it's going to happen. But there is no need for these people to be shouting at us from outside.
"I speak very good English but I've never heard the word 'scumbag' until these people came along. It is very painful to be called these names and when people pass you in their cars and you walk along the streets they make noises at you and bad faces.
"I'm not a thief and I'm not a threat to anyone," Mr Mohamed added.
Before judgment was handed down on Tuesday, barristers for the Home Office asked to intervene in the case, citing the "substantial impact" caused to the Home Secretary in performing her legal duties to asylum seekers.
They argued moving asylum seekers in the short period would cause "particular acute difficulties" for the Government.
But the bid was dismissed by Mr Justice Eyre, who said the department’s involvement was "not necessary".
Since the injunction was granted, councils across the country controlled by Labour, the Conservatives and Reform UK are investigating whether they could also pursue legal challenges against asylum hotels.
A wave of protests outside hotels used to temporarily house asylum seekers is expected in the coming days.