Why do Labour not get it?

[Dacatspjs]

It's being reported today that Labour want to stop using hotels and move migrants into barracks. Fine. But when quizzed on it Luke Pollard has suggested this will be more expensive, but the public want the hotels to close at all costs so it will be worth it.

This to me just seems like another step forward for Reform. The public who care about this, care about how much the government is spending on migrant housing. A new policy that costs more isn't going to go anyway towards solving this problem.

I don't know what the solution is, but spending more money getting mothballed barracks up to spec seems ludicrous.

"Asked about whether it would cost more to house migrants at military bases than in hotels, Mr Pollard insisted that 'the public want to see those hotels close'.

But he added: 'We're looking at what's possible and, in some cases, those bases may be a different cost to hotels, but I think we need to reflect the public mood on this asylum hotels need to close.'"

I can think of lots of ways to make our asylum system safer and more humane without taking on an Oz style system. Being able to have your claim processed from outside the UK would be a start.

Charity begins at home !
until a way is found of stopping these boats or returning them to France to have Asylum claims heard there these men will keep coming
An Australian type system is needed and no benefits available immediately
I wonder if anyone would hazard a guess how many illegals are here already ?
This is not having a good effect on our available housing stock

How many would apply, could you meet the demand?

No idea.

No idea how many illegal immigrants are here. The ones I have met were living in tents as they weren't eligible to access homeless shelters.

Bit of a problem then. It’s not viable. There’s no point in keeping this unsafe and dangerous system because there’s one people prefer that can’t work.

I don't see how this would work. The numbers would rocket, and what's to stop those who were refused entry coming anyway by small boat?

Not really, since I'm not the one in charge of implementing the system!
You have no idea whether or not it is viable, neither do I, but in my opinion it would be a preferable system to the Oz one.

A nice hotel in our town was being used for migrants. It was several hundred a single room/night before the pandemic as friends stayed there for a wedding. Really old listed building, right in the town centre. It was probably due a re-vamp, but I’ve stayed in much worse!

Less would come anyway, and the ones that did could be deported immediately.
If I had the answers to fixing our immigration system then I would be a very rich lady! My point is that:

• Our immigration and asylum systems need reviewing and modernising
• They should be based on humanity and care
• Asylum seeker are not criminals and should not be treated as such

Numbers would rocket. Is there any evidence of that?

And I thought people don't mind genuine asylum seekers.

You are right it won't stop the boat crossings completely but reducing them will save lives.

Weren't they hotels that were in use right up until the owners were approached with contracts to house migrants?

Yep agree ! They get tents in France we should follow their lead.

Macron told Starmer a few months ago stop with the benefits/hotels etc and you’ll stop the pull of them wanting to come to the U.K.

They leave safe counties like France as we are soft touch and hand out freebies to all and sundry.

Labour are sunk as people have had it, anyone I talk to has had a gutful….it is sickening and scary allowing unchecked males in on this scale.

You could only deport people who arrive by boat if you ignore the 1951 convention and laws around that, is that what you mean?

Nope. As I said, if I knew how to fix the asylum system I would be a very wealthy woman.

Me too.

I don’t know about ‘cushy’ but I know of at least two perfectly nice hotels locally which are now used for housing migrants.

There was a recent BBC podcast investigation that had special access and interviewed asylum hotel residents. I would say it was pretty cushy relative to the standard of living many UK residents have. Paid for taxis, rooms cleaned, all meals provided. It's not a conspiracy theory that asylum seekers in the UK are far better provided for than many

Edit - forgot to mention the priority access to NHS services also covered by the investigation

There is a way, hopefully fewer voters will cling on to non viable solutions and at some point it will change.

If it eventually does emulate Aus it’ll not be voted out again.

Respectfully, I hope you're wrong.

That’s ok. I feel similarly about people who defend and promote this chaotic and unsafe system. It’s madness to want to keep it.

Actually I’ll add it’s not even humane to want to keep it.

This!!!

Also, if they do have to spend money on the upkeep etc then they can house our own homeless, vulnerable citizens in the future!

I agree. The current system needs a good review and modernization.

Thanks for answering.
I think some people have an issue with the sheer numbers and I'm not sure that processing abroad would reduce that. I think that we would see numbers rise, and the boats would still keep coming.

If your main concern is method of arrival, but you're not worried about the numbers, then I can see why you think as you do.

That's a good idea but people will still moan. I wonder how concerned about the homeless all these people were before migrant ho(s)tels were brought to their attention.

@CorneliaCuppwhen you say you’d like o/s applications and you’d deport anyone who arrives outside that, that is closer to the Aus system than the one we have.

They do do o/s applications and deport people who arrive on the coast. You’re describing what they do.