01 September 2025 , 17:10
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Addressing the subject of migrant hotels, Sir Keir Starmer said he was questioned about his reaction if a hotel housing asylum seekers were to be established at the end of his street.
"I completely understand," Starmer says, adding: "Local people generally do not want these hotels in their towns, in their areas, and neither do I.
"I’m in complete agreement with them on that," he insisted.
This comes as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper defended against criticism over Labour’s management of asylum seekers and people smugglers earlier this week.
The backlash followed a summer dominated by criticism over the small boats crisis and asylum hotels.
Speaking on Monday, Starmer emphasized he was attentive to the concerns of residents across the UK regarding migrant hotels, expressing his intention to shut them "as quickly as possible".
"When it comes to the asylum hotels, I want them emptied," he said.
"I want to see every single asylum hotel closed," Starmer says.
This follows Reform’s Nigel Farage criticizing the Government over its handling of asylum seekers and a backlog of applications last week.
Starmer was perceived as addressing the concerns, insisting that Farage and Reform aim to "exploit grievances".
"They don’t want the problem solved," he adds, accusing the party of proposing "unworkable, unrealistic ideas".
On Monday, Ms Cooper said the Government’s overhaul of the “broken” asylum system will help end the use of asylum hotels, an issue that has led to widespread protests over the summer.
The Home Secretary will also outline planned changes to the refugee family reunion process to provide “greater fairness and balance”.
This comes as the Prime Minister insisted he was “very encouraging” of people displaying national flags, but warned against devaluing and belittling them.
When asked about a recent trend of flags being hung on lampposts across the country, the PM insisted he supported such nationalism.
He stated, "I’m a supporter of flags" as he pointed to one.
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