MP’s letter over plans to move ‘130 asylum seekers from Ibis to Holiday Inn hotel’ in Rotherham

John Healey, MP for Wentworth and Dearne, stated in his later to Priti Patel that Rotherham Council’s leader and assistant chief executive had “no knowledge” of the plan, and called on the Home Office to halt the plans to consult with local agencies.

“We already have 472 refugees in special asylum accommodation in Rotherham, with a further 161 in ‘initial accommodation’,” states Mr Healey in the letter.

“Our borough already has the second highest proportion of dispersed asylum seekers per 10,000 population in Yorkshire and Humber, we want to play our part but we want the system to work fairly.

“It isn’t working fairly when nine out of 21 local authorities in the Yorkshire and Humber region aren’t willing to play any part in the national asylum system.”

Mr Healey adds that the decision has been made “without any consultation” from RMBC, and without “any reference to the interests of local residents”.

“We are a town that has always been willing to welcome those fleeing persecution who are refugees in Britain,” adds the letter.

Mr Healey adds that the hotel in Manvers is “utterly unsuited as accommodation for 130 asylum seekers”, and outlines a number of concerns, including lack of access to support services in the area, such as English classes, and mental and physical health services.

“Police have highlighted heightened risks from local opposition through to orchestrated far-right activity from use of hotels in Rotherham, with visits by far-right groups in the past and videos posted online.

“There is no spare capacity within the Rotherham NHS system.

“Rotherham town-centre based BAME organisations have limited capacity to travel to the hotel, with the Refugee Council in particular particularly overstretched.”

Mr Healey has called on Priti Patel to visit the Holiday Inn to see “for yourself why this hotel is totally unsuited to asylum accommodation.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are dealing with an unprecedented increase in asylum cases but despite this we continue to ensure that the accommodation provided is safe, secure and leaves no one destitute.”

“The Home Office does not comment on operational arrangements for individual hotels.”