Council leader blasts Home Office after asylum seekers removal

Peray Ahmet said she was “incredibly disappointed” asylum seekers were moved from Muswell Hill hotel without council’s knowledge, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

National Hotel in Muswell Hill where the asylum seekers had been staying and and (inset) Peray Ahmet

The leader of Haringey Council has criticised the Home Office after asylum seekers were moved from a hotel in Muswell Hill to a barracks in Kent.

Council leader Peray Ahmet raised concerns for the welfare of the three individuals who were housed at National Hotel before being relocated to Napier Barracks near Folkestone on Sunday, 8th January.

The barracks became notorious for its poor conditions and, in June 2021, a High Court judge ruled that it provided inadequate accommodation. The Home Office says improvements have since been made.

Protestors gathered outside the hotel on 20th December following reports that the asylum seekers were to be relocated imminently, and officials from the Home Office left without moving the individuals. Last week, however, councillors learned that officials had relocated three of the asylum seekers without informing the council.

In a joint statement, council leader Peray Ahmet and cabinet member for health, social care and wellbeing Lucia das Neves said they were “incredibly disappointed” that the officials “elected to remove people without telling us or our staff and on a weekend”.

The two councillors said they were particularly concerned about “the mental health needs of these refugees, who have often fled from horrifying situations”, warning of a “risk posed to these residents should they be moved away from existing support networks”.

They added: “They [the Home Office] know that had local residents and welcome groups been aware, they would have come out to demonstrate as they did in December. The Home Office removed these residents without informing the council, and without confirming that they had undertaken the necessary health assessments that are their legal duty.”

Cllr Ahmet and Cllr das Neves have written to immigration minister Robert Jenrick asking for the council to be given advance notice of such moves. They have also requested a meeting “to discuss the way in which the Home Office works with councils and partner organisations to get the best outcomes for our asylum seekers”.

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 and no-one will be moved if deemed unsafe for them.”

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