A British judge has temporarily blocked government plans to house asylum seekers at the Bell Hotel in Epping, northeast of London, following weeks of unrest in the area.
Justice Stephen Eyre of the High Court granted Epping Forest District Council a temporary injunction on Tuesday, ruling that migrants must be moved from the hotel by September 12.
The council argued that placing asylum seekers there risked inflaming already heightened community tensions.
The decision marks a setback for Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, which is under growing political pressure over migration.
The Home Office had urged the court to reject the council’s request, warning that the ruling could severely undermine efforts to provide accommodation for thousands of asylum seekers across the country.
The dispute follows violent protests in Epping after an asylum seeker was charged with the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl in July, an allegation he denies.
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Since then, police have responded to at least six demonstrations around the hotel, some of which turned violent with officers and vehicles attacked. Several individuals now face charges of violent disorder.
The case highlights the deepening political challenges facing Labour, as the far-right Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, capitalises on public anger over irregular migration.
More than 50,000 people have crossed the English Channel in small boats since Starmer assumed office last July, fuelling criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis.
Starmer has pledged to end the use of hotels for housing asylum seekers by the next election, expected in 2029, as part of a broader plan to reduce both illegal and legal migration.
However, with mounting protests and legal hurdles, delivering on that promise appears increasingly difficult.