Rachel Reeves’s vow to axe asylum hotels has been ripped apart by Reform MP Richard Tice, who says there is “not a cat in hell’s chance” Labour will be able to deliver.
The Chancellor said in her spending review plans that ministers would end “the costly use of hotels to house asylum seekers in this parliament”.
Reeves said she will be working closely with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to ensure the costly scheme comes to an end with “billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money” to be saved as a result.
But speaking on GB News, Tice said he is doubtful Labour will be able to deliver its promise.
Richard Tice said there is 'not a cat in hell's chance' the Chancellor will deliver
GB NEWS / PARLIAMENT
“If they achieved that, the whole country would be delighted”, he told GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope.
“I don’t think there’s a cat in hell’s chance of them achieving that. There are tens of thousands of people in these hotels clogging up housing that should be occupied by British citizens.
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“Just this year alone, approaching 50,000 migrants will cross the Channel. She also announced hundreds of millions more going in to sort the Border Security Command.
“That’s actually code for hundreds of millions more going to the French, who aeronauts banking it and giving their own gendarmerie photography lessons. They’re not actually stopping any boats.”
Rachel Reeves delivered her Spending Review in the Commons today POOL Reeves told MPs the move would save taxpayers £1 billion annually.
"I can confirm today that led by the work of my right honourable friend the Home Secretary, we will be ending the costly use of hotels to house asylum seekers in this Parliament," the Chancellor said.
She described the decision as "the Labour choice" and "the choice of the British people", adding that funding would be used to cut the asylum backlog, hear more appeal cases and return people with no right to remain in the UK.
The Government spent £3.1 billion on housing asylum seekers in hotels during 2023-24, out of a total asylum support bill of £4.7 billion.
Richard Tice spoke to Christopher Hope on GB News
GB NEWS
Latest figures show 32,345 asylum seekers were being housed temporarily in UK hotels at the end of March, representing a 15 per cent decrease from 38,079 at the end of December.
The National Audit Office revealed that asylum accommodation costs are expected to reach £15.3 billion over 10 years, more than three times higher than previously estimated.
Hotel accommodation accounts for 76 per cent of annual contract costs, totalling £1.3 billion of an estimated £1.7 billion in 2024-25.
Reeves told the Commons: "The party opposite left behind a broken system: billions of pounds of taxpayers' money spent on housing asylum seekers in hotels, leaving people in limbo and shunting the cost of failure onto local communities."
Conservative MPs have criticised the plan, questioning where asylum seekers will be housed if not in hotels.
Shadow Home Office minister Matt Vickers said: "Rachel Reeves claims Labour will 'end the use of asylum hotels'. But if they won't commit to deport all illegal immigrants, where will they go? Coming to a house on your street?"
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