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Protest against Home Office’s removal of Muswell Hill asylum seekers

Dozens gather outside hotel where asylum seekers had been housed
By Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

At the protest were, (from left) Cllr Tammy Hymas, Cllr Peray Ahmet, Lucy Nabijou of Haringey Welcome, Cllr Dana Carlin, Cllr Cathy Brennan and Cllr Seema Chandwani (credit LDRS)
At the protest were, (from left) Cllr Tammy Hymas, Cllr Peray Ahmet, Lucy Nabijou of Haringey Welcome, Cllr Dana Carlin, Cllr Cathy Brennan and Cllr Seema Chandwani (credit LDRS)

Asylum seekers housed in a Muswell Hill hotel are set to be moved to a barracks in Kent that previously faced criticism over its poor conditions.

Seven asylum seekers staying in the National Hotel in Queens Avenue this week received letters from the Home Office telling them they would be temporarily relocated to Napier Barracks near Folkestone, Kent.

Local councillors have expressed outrage over the move and called on the government to reconsider. In June last year, a High Court judge ruled that the Napier Barracks provided inadequate accommodation. The Home Office said the accommodation provided at Napier is now safe, comfortable and meets its standards of service.

A crowd gathered outside the National Hotel on Tuesday afternoon following reports that the asylum seekers were set to be moved imminently, with local councillors and community groups also in attendance. Haringey Council leader Peray Ahmet told the crowd officials from the Home Office had arrived at the hotel earlier but left without moving the individuals.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Cllr Ahmet said the asylum seekers had been informed that they would be housed at Napier Barracks for two months before being “dispersed and housed”. She added that the Home Office had insisted the move was not linked to the recent High Court ruling that the government’s plan to relocate asylum seekers to Rwanda was lawful.

The council leader said staff from the local authority’s resettlement team would be on site every day. The council wanted to ensure the asylum seekers had received the correct legal advice, she explained, and if any of them did not want to move it would “advocate on their behalf”.

Cllr Ahmet said the council had not been alerted to the move by the Home Office, adding: “What we do know is that a significant number of those here have significant health issues, particularly mental health, which is why the fact that there was no screening done in advance was particularly worrying.”

Lucy Nabijou, co-ordinator of campaign group Haringey Welcome, said the individuals had only received letters from the Home Office in English and raised concerns that asylum seekers being “constantly uprooted” stopped them from forming relationships.

In a joint statement Cllr Ahmet, Haringey Welcome and the council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing Lucia das Neves said better quality accommodation and support could be provided within the borough, adding that “so many in the Haringey community warmly welcome those in need of this vital safety and shelter”.

It continued: “Neither the council nor our co-signatories have any involvement in the decisions the Home Office makes about asylum accommodation. Nonetheless we feel compelled to implore the Home Office to reconsider their decision and to allow our guests to stay where they are supported, safe and welcome.”

Opposition Liberal Democrats have also condemned the move. Nick da Costa, Lib Dem spokesperson for communities, said: “We stand together with the council and with Haringey Welcome in calling for the Home Office to reconsider this decision and allow these people to stay where they can feel supported and welcomed.”

Home Office guidance on housing asylum seekers states that as a “general rule” accommodation is provided outside London and south-east England. It adds that caseworkers must consider requests for accommodation in London and the south-east and “consider whether there are exceptional  circumstances that make it appropriate to agree to the request”.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The Home Office continues to provide safe accommodation for destitute asylum seekers who need it as we work to end the use of hotels which are costing UK taxpayers almost £6million a day.

“Our accommodation contractor at Napier provides full-board accommodation which is safe, comfortable and meets our standards of service.

“Individuals housed in our accommodation may be moved to other locations in line with the allocation of accommodation guidance. No-one will be moved if deemed unsafe for them.”


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