Prime Minister responds to concerns over asylum seekers in Derbyshire

The Prime Minister spoke out on widespread concerns growing in Sandiacre and Long Eaton over the amount of asylum seekers living in two hotels just yards away from each other – amid major worries over illegal immigrants crossing the English Channel.

Dozens of residents packed a parish council meeting last week to raise concerns that they were living in fear due to “gangs” of male asylum seekers forming and intimidating both children and adults in the streets of Sandiacre.

During the meeting, the residents were told that there were around 400 single men asylum seekers living in the Novotel Nottingham Derby hotel and the Best Western Nottingham Derby hotel – both off Bostocks Lane. The residents said they did not feel safe on the streets and called for immediate action.

Just a day after the parish council meeting was held, more concerns were made public that the number of asylum seekers now living in both hotels was putting local health services under strain.

On Wednesday it was the turn of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to talk about the developments in the Derbyshire town when he was asked by Erewash MP Maggie Throup if there was a timetable set “for the permanent closure of accommodation centres”.

The MP took the issue right to the top and asked Mr Sunak during Prime Minister’s Questions: “It is clear in my meetings with GPs and Derbyshire police that this huge influx of people in such a small area is putting local services under immense strain. Before services hit breaking point, will my right honourable friend commit to an immediate reduction in asylum seekers concentrated in one place, and will he intervene to set a timetable for the permanent closure of accommodation centres at this location?”

Mr Sunak said the Government was working day and night to resolve the problem but did not give any detail as to a “timetable” for the closure of the accommodation centres.

The Prime Minister said: “Well, Mr Speaker, let me give my honourable friend my absolute cast-iron commitment that we want to get to grips with this problem. The best way to resolve it is to stop criminal gangs profiting from an illegal trade in human lives and the unacceptable rise in Channel crossings which is putting unsustainable pressure on our system and local services.

“She has my reassurance that I and the Home Secretary are working day and night to resolve this problem. Not just to end the use of expensive contingency accommodation but for more fundamental reform so we can finally get to grips with this issue, protect our borders and end illegal migration.”

However, asylum seekers living in the Novotel hotel told a reporter they were not looking to cause trouble – they just wanted to feel safe.

Mohamed, from Kurdistan, said: “We are refugees. We need help. We have problems in our country so we can’t go back. We don’t want or need problems here.”