Government confirms it is closing one of Wigan's asylum hotels - but which one?

The town’s MP Lisa Nandy was passed a hand-written note this evening (October 25) from immigration minister Robert Jenrick letting her know that he had been able to order the closure of the asylum hotel in her constituency.

While thanking her for “constructively engaging” with the Government on the matter, his letter does not go on to elaborate as to which of the migrant hotels on the Shadow Minister for International Development’s patch he was referring.

Ms Nandy is now trying to establish further details as to whether Mr Jenrick meant the recently converted Kilhey Court at Worthington or the Britannia Hotel at Almond Brook which has been home to migrants for eight years.

She nonetheless expressed relief that at least one of the local matters is close to being resolved but also expressed concern as to what would happen to the migrants and who would then take responsibility for them.

On Tuesday Mr Jenrick announced to Parliament that 50 migrant hotels were to close in the coming weeks, some in a matter of days, as part of the Government’s latest bid to tackle migration and said that he had written to the councils whose areas these establishments fell.

Wigan Council confirmed to Wigan Today that no such letter had been received from Mr Jenrick before or since his announcement, but then Ms Nandy was handed the note at the House of Commons this evening by one of the Parliamentary doorkeepers.

She said: “This is welcome news. From day one Wigan Council, the police and I have been clear that the hotels in use have been unsuitable for vulnerable asylum seekers, with no support provided and in a village where local infrastructure is already under considerable strain.

"Wigan has provided a warm welcome to refugees over the years but we cannot do it when Serco and the Home Office ignore our concerns.

"I hope this marks the start of a new relationship that show some respect for our communities and their representatives.”

But while the MP said this was a step in the right direction, she did voice concerns about what would happen next, pointing out what has happened in the constituency of Labour colleague Stella Creasy where the Home Office has been accused of ejecting refugees from their temporary hotel accommodations with merely a week’s notice.

Ms Creasy said there was “no assistance” being provided to these people, leading them to resort to local homeless shelters.

In Parliament this week Mr Jenrick rejected her claims, saying the Home Office’s policy was to give 28 days’ notice, and highlighted that once granted asylum, refugees have access to benefits and employment opportunities.

But there have been other political voices of concern that local authorities could end up footing the bill for those told to quit the closing hotels.

There are differences of opinion as to which Standish hotel might shut: one school of thinking being that Kilhey is the likelier because it is still transitioning, another than Britannia’s lease is likelier to have run out when Kilhey’s has only just started.

Ms Nandy said that she assumed Mr Jenrick in his note was talking about Kilhey because that was the establishment over which she had recently been lobbying.

But she said she was emailing him in the hope of gaining clarification.

There had been widespread opposition to the launch of a second migrant hotel only three miles from the other, with objectors also pointing out that those resident at Kilhey Court would have precious little in the way of amentities and public transport.

Even before it opened, the Home Office was saying it wanted to move away from accommodating refugees and migrants in hotels.