GOVERNMENT SHOULD 'HANG THEIR HEADS IN SHAME

CAMPAIGNERS yesterday called on ministers to "hang their heads in shame" after the Home Office won a court fight to keep an Epping hotel open for housing migrants.

- By Martyn Brown and Adam Toms

Lord Justice Bean, who was treasurer of the Society of Labour Lawyers, triggered uproar as he announced the reversal of a landmark ruling that would close the doors of The Bell Hotel to asylum seekers.

The Court of Appeal decision, following a last-ditch intervention by the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, sparked fears of mass protests. Angry Shane Yerrell, a Tory member of Epping Forest District Council, insisted that the Government should "hang their heads in shame".

Tory chief Kemi Badenoch and Reform's Nigel Farage accused Sir Keir Starmer of putting the rights of illegal migrants ahead of British citizens. The Bell has been hit by frequent protests since two of its 140 male residents were charged with sex offences.

The council last week won a High Court injunction to empty it of migrants by September 12. As a result, other councils launched similar bids to evict arrivals from hotels.

But the Court of Appeal yesterday quashed the order after pleas by the Home Office and hotel owners Somani Ltd, so the migrants will stay where they are for now.

Lord Justice Bean, sitting with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Lord Justice Cobb, ruled that the High Court judge had "made a number of errors", adding: "The judge's approach ignores the obvious consequence that the closure of one site means capacity needs to be identified elsewhere in the system." Home Office lawyers argued that the human rights of asylum seekers trumped Epping Council's case.