The British government is seeking to overturn a High Court ruling that temporarily bans asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, warning that the decision could fuel further protests and strain the asylum accommodation system.
The injunction, granted last week to Epping Forest District Council, followed weeks of demonstrations, some violent, after an Ethiopian asylum seeker was charged with sexual assault offences.
The case has intensified public and political focus on immigration, with over 28,000 asylum seekers arriving via small boats across the Channel this year, making it the top voter concern.
The Home Office and Somani Hotels, the owners of the Bell Hotel, argued in the Court of Appeal that the injunction sets a risky precedent.
Edward Brown KC, representing the Home Secretary, stated:
The judge erred in declining to allow the Secretary of State to participate in the proceedings, given her unique institutional competence and her statutory duty.
The government highlighted that closing the hotel, which houses 138 asylum seekers, could disrupt the accommodation of approximately 30,000 migrants currently in over 200 hotels nationwide.
Other councils are now considering similar legal actions, potentially exacerbating the strain on the system.
The Bell Hotel became a flashpoint after protests erupted, sparked by allegations against an asylum seeker, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, who denies charges of sexually assaulting a teenage girl.
Critics argue that housing asylum seekers in hotels, particularly young men barred from working, poses risks to local communities.
The government’s lawyers cautioned that the injunction "runs the risk of acting as an impetus for further protests, some of which may be disorderly."
Meanwhile, Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has called for mass deportations, while pro-migrant groups accuse far-right elements of exploiting tensions for political gain.
Epping Forest District Council secured the injunction on the grounds that the hotel’s use breached planning regulations.
Somani Hotels countered that there was "no evidence" of deliberate breaches and warned of the impact on the Home Office’s legal duty to house asylum seekers.
The Court of Appeal was told that the ruling’s national significance lies in its potential to disrupt the asylum accommodation programme.
A full hearing is expected later this year, with the current injunction requiring asylum seekers to vacate the hotel by September 12.
The outcome could shape the future of asylum housing across the UK.