Forum Topic

Tories versus Reform

"But government sources also smell dirty tricks from Epping Council and are suggesting that the Tory-led local authority made the legal claim for political reasons.Pointing to the presence of several prominent Tory MPs in the Essex area - as well as the threat posed by Reform in the county - the question being posed is why this legal challenge was not brought when asylum seekers first started being sent to the [Bell] hotel in 2020 during the Conservatives' time in government.Epping Council would no doubt reject that and say recent disorder prompted them to act.But that won't stop the Tories and Reform of seizing on this as evidence of a failing approach from Labour.So there are political risks for the government, yes, but it's the practicalities that could flow from this ruling that pose the bigger danger.""While asylum seekers were housed in Epping's Bell Hotel under the last Conservative government – although moved out in 2024", guess what? -"The shadow home secretary Chris Philp said he would welcome other councils following Conservative-controlled Epping's lead."Funny that.(from BBC and Sky)

David Ainsworth ● 12d9 Comments

Scraping the Rwanda scheme was madness - a very expensive political stunt.It was an expensive scheme, most deterrents are, but it was working.Of course it would be better to fix the cause of the refugee problem and the reasons why many can't be returned. Strangely Labour and Conservative are in complete agreement as they have always been on Foreign policy but let's park that.The costs are enormous not just the obvious costs but the indirect costs in areas where these Hotels normally bring in revenue. Now Labour have started using private landlords which is pushing up rents and again basically turning private accommodation into hostels.

Ed Robinson ● 11d

You can guarantee that however bad Conservative were. Labour are and will be 100 times worse . Massive well done to those that voted for them and ruined our country . Thanks Nick

Nick Gulliford ● 11d

Yep that would be Labour.

Robert Wheeler ● 11d

You are changing the terms again, first it was Labours fault for not voting for it, now it's their fault for cancelling it.How are people supposed to debate you if you change the terms when you are called out on your mistakes?Pointless as usual.

Michael Brigo ● 11d

Yes and immediately abandoned when Labour took power.  How much is this illegal migrant hotel fiasco costing us now?

Robert Wheeler ● 11d

The Rwanda scheme was approved by parliament - whether Labour voted for it or not is therefore irrelevant.

Michael Brigo ● 11d

It’s a shame that the Labour party consistently voted against the Rwanda scheme which incidentally America is now using.Labour are not going to fix anything.

Robert Wheeler ● 11d

It was obviously a mistake for the Tory government to start using hotels for this purpose in the first place. It seems to be something all parties agree on - Labour, Tories, Reform - but will take a while for Labour to fix.I guess this Tory mistake is why the cost of budget hotels - Premier Inn, Travel Lodge, etc - has shot up in the past few years?

Michael Ixer ● 11d

Mr Ainsworth'"But government sources also smell dirty tricks from Epping Council and are suggesting that the Tory-led local authority made the legal claim for political reasons'.'political reasons' - would have thought it ?!LBC - "50,000 migrants have crossed Channel on small boats since Labour took power"Illegal immigration and the cost of processing then giving the immigrants all the housing and social services they expect will be the defining issue for Kier Starmer (however many photo-ops he takes with Zelensky as he 'fights to maintain Ukraine's borders') and the Labour government at the next election.What happened to the Rwanda plan ?'The UK-Rwanda plan, officially known as the Migration and Economic Development Partnership, aims to relocate asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda for processing and resettlement, but it has faced significant legal and political challenges'.Let's not forget that Starmer's 'beloved Arsenal' advertises  Rwanda as a holiday destination on its club shirt so can't be a worse place to live than Eritrea, Viet Nam and various Middle East countries where these immigrants come from.So why do they want to come here where they have no affiliation I wonder.

John Hawkes ● 11d