Row breaks out between MPs and Combined Authority Mayor over use of Peterborough's Dragonfly Hotel

The outburst follows a letter sent by Combined Authority Mayor Paul Bristow to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper complaining that the MPs have not shown any interest in meeting him to discuss ways of having the lakeside at Thorpe Meadows stood down as a refuge.

Up to 146 asylum seekers – all single men who crossed the English Channel in small boats – were moved into the 70-bedroom hotel in November last year.

In his letter, Mr Bistow states: “The Dragonfly Hotel is situated in a residential area with limited access to local services and amenities, making it wholly unsuitable for this purpose.

"Both Peterborough City Council and the city’s two MPs have acknowledged that this is an inappropriate location.

He said: “Since becoming Mayor, I have written to Andrew Pakes MP and Sam Carling MP requesting a meeting to discuss how we might work together to have the Dragonfly Hotel stood down.

“Regrettably, they have not indicated any willingness to meet with me."

Mr Bristow also states: "As you know, the Government sees Metro Mayors as convenors on local issues – a responsibility I take seriously.

"During my time as MP for Peterborough, I successfully had the Great Northern Hotel stood down as migrant accommodation.

"I regularly met with the then Minister of State for Immigration, Robert Jenrick, to raise my concerns.

"It is disappointing that the current MPs have not taken the opportunity to meet and reflect on lessons from that experience.”

Mr Bristow says that Peterborough is a ‘caring and welcoming city.’

But he adds: “We already host more asylum seekers than any other area in the East of England.

“Peterborough cannot continue to be taken for granted, and the Dragonfly Hotel should be stood down as asylum accommodation as soon as possible.

I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss this matter further.”

In a joint statement, Peterborough MP, Andrew Pakes and North West Cambridgeshire MP, Sam Carling said: “We responded to the Mayor’s last letter welcoming his offer to work with us, suggesting in particular that he join some of the cross-organisation work we are doing with the council.

"We have not had a reply.

They add: “It is unfortunate that the new Mayor is spending official resources on attacking other politicians online rather than getting on with the work in his own remit.

“We have made it clear to Ministers that the Dragonfly is the wrong hotel, in the wrong location and bad for Peterborough and nearby residents.

"We are a welcoming city but are playing more than our part already.

"We will continue to make this case until the hotel is closed down and the Serco contract, signed by the last Conservative Government when the Mayor was an MP, is ditched."