'We did this!' Tory civil war erupts over migration crisis as MP admits huge asylum hotel blunder

Responding to a CCHQ advert which listed the perks given to asylum seekers, Mr Cocking said: “This makes us look silly as we gave them all this too, which is why we are in the mess we are in today.

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“Completely unacceptable – they should be put in detention centres and deported.”

The advert highlighted how asylum seekers were being given state-provided housing, three-star accommodation, free PlayStation consoles, bus travel and a weekly allowance of almost £50 per person.

Another message, shared by ConservativeHome, appeared to argue that Reform UK was taking advantage of the apparent blunder.

Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who regularly criticises Reform UK on social media, shared Nigel Farage’s response calling for the Tories to “go into hiding”.

Mr Obese-Jecty simply added: “Another example of p**s poor comms from CCHQ that cause unnecessary media embarrassment.”

However, Tory Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake sought to cool tensions among the increasingly jittery cohort of new Conservative MPs.

The Tory veteran admitted that the advert raised some concerns but insisted it would not be deleted.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has so far looked to show contrition following last year’s humiliating defeat in the 2024 General Election.

Despite Mrs Badenoch distancing herself from Liz Truss’s mini-budget, the Tory Party’s legacy on migration is still seen as a major cause of concern and part of the reason behind Reform UK’s surge.

Asylum hotels became a particular problem in the final years of the Tory Party’s 14-year stint in power, with 400 operating in 2023 at a cost of £3billion.

Small boat crossings also hit a record-breaking 45,000 in 2022, although this year’s total could potentially witness an even greater number of arrivals.

Meanwhile, net migration soared under Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.

The figure peaked at almost one million people in the year ending June 2023, significantly higher than the tens of thousands target once promised by David Cameron.

Reform UK’s emergence as a political force has also ensured that the Tory Party is being outflanked on the issue of immigration.

Mr Farage is promising a “one-in, one-out” migration policy and is tying the issue of immigration to broader topics, including crime.

Meanwhile, Mrs Badenoch has pledged to reduce Channel crossings to zero, insisting that this could be achieved “pretty quickly” if the Tories win the next General Election.

On the issue of legal migration, the Tories have proposed bringing in an annual cap on the number of new visas being issued.

However, migrant hotels have become a major political problem for both Labour and the Conservative Party.

A series of protests across England and now Scotland have put pressure on the Home Office to close so-called asylum hotels, including in Epping and Canary Wharf.

Mr Cocking revealed that a hotel in his Hertfordshire constituency was posing particular problems in the local area.

He said: “I have an asylum hotel and the community is ripping itself apart and it’s okay for everyone that doesn’t.

“We did this and we must come up with a policy that solves it.”

The message was liked by veteran Tory MP Andrew Rosindell and 2024 intake Peter Bedford.

A Conservative spokesman said: “Kemi Badenoch has been clear that under her leadership this is a changed Conservative Party.

“She has set out where we failed on immigration, and delivered bold new plans to set it right including our Deportation Bill, which would take back control of our borders.

“We will continue to hold Labour to account for their total failure to tackle the small boats crisis.”