Nigel Farage has faced widespread criticism after calling for protests outside asylum hotels across Britain, a move that the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox described as 'rabble rousing'. Brendan Cox, co-founder of Survivors Against Terror, accused the Reform UK leader of stoking tensions, warning that the demonstrations could intimidate residents and lead to violence.
The controversy follows a High Court injunction granted on Tuesday preventing the housing of migrants at the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, where violent clashes have occurred. Several local authorities have indicated they will mount similar legal challenges. Farage said he hoped the Epping protests would 'inspire similar protests around Britain'.
Security Minister Dan Jarvis criticised 'the very worst politicians' who try to divide communities, while immigration campaigner Zoe Gardner accused Farage of calling for 'more racist protests to terrorise asylum seekers'. Louise Calvey of Asylum Matters said it was 'appalling to see members of our Parliament egging on violent disorder'.
The Government has pledged to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers by 2029, with numbers having fallen from over 56,000 in September 2023 to 32,345 at the end of March. At its peak, the hotel scheme cost more than £9 million a day under the previous Conservative government.
