Peterborough MP urges Prime Minister to declare 'national emergency' over use of hotels for asylum seekers

Peterborough MP Paul Bristow has called on the Prime Minister to treat the use of hotels as hostels for asylum seekers as a national emergency.

The demand came during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons when Mr Bristow also urged that a COBRA-style committee – used by Government during national or regional emergencies – be called to help tackle the issue.

It follows the Home Office’s decision to move about 150 asylum seekers from the Manston detention centre in Kent to two Peterborough hotels – the Great Northern Hotel, in Station Approach, and The Verve hotel in Boongate.

The use of the Great Northern Hotel for asylum seekers has been branded ‘inappropriate’ because of its status and proximity to key infrastructure by Peterborough City Council and Mr Bristow.

Mr Bristow has been angered by his exclusion from meetings of immigration officials from the Strategic Immigration Partnership – part of the East of England Local Government Association – called to discuss the welfare, medical needs and future of the asylum seekers, brought to the city on November 11.

Mr Bristow told Prime Minister Rishi Sunak: “The number of people crossing the Channel is a national emergency, the number of migrants in hotels is a national emergency.

"Isn’t it time we had a COBRA-style committee involving the Department of Work and Pensions, the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Home Office and led by Number 10 to tackle this crisis?

In reply, Mr Sunak said: "I share his frustration and I want to reassure him that we will do whatever it takes to reduce the number of illegal crossings to this country and take any new powers that we need to.

He added: "I look forward to working with him to ensure we can do that, because this is fundamentally about our sovereignty and the proper control of our borders."

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The number of people arriving in the UK who require accommodation has reached record levels and has put our asylum system under incredible strain.

"The use of hotels is a short-term solution and we are working hard with local authorities to find appropriate accommodation.”