The Home Office is preparing to challenge a High Court ruling that prevents asylum seekers from being housed in an Essex hotel.
Earlier this week, Epping Forest District Council secured a temporary injunction to block the use of the Bell Hotel in Epping for accommodating asylum seekers. The court also rejected a last-minute attempt by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to intervene and have the case dismissed.
If granted the right to appeal, the government is expected to push ahead with a further challenge to overturn the ruling.
Home Office Minister Dan Jarvis reaffirmed that ministers remain committed to shutting down the use of hotels for asylum seekers. He added: “We need to do that in a managed and ordered way. And that’s why we’ll appeal this decision.”
A senior government source argued the case raised fundamental questions about democracy, insisting that the judiciary should not decide where asylum seekers are placed.
Local leaders have vowed to continue fighting. Epping council leader Chris Whitbread previously said he would “find the money” to resist any government appeal.
Meanwhile, one asylum seeker currently staying at the hotel told the BBC that hotels should be closed, but stressed that asylum seekers should be allowed to work so they can support themselves.
