Labour to use £150MILLION of taxpayers’ money to ‘fund additional large sites to accommodate asylum seekers’

The Government has announced plans to use £150million of taxpayers’ money to “fund additional large sites to accommodate asylum seekers”.

Following Chancellor John Healey’s Budget statement, it was revealed that Labour is set to “facilitate the Government’s commitment” to “ending asylum hotels”.

In the Treasury red book, it says: “The Government is providing £150million capital investment in 2027-2028 to fund additional large sites to accommodate asylum seekers and facilitate the Government’s commitment to end the use of asylum hotels.”

The Home Office has said its plan to close asylum hotels and move people into alternative accommodation is “saving taxpayers money”.

A spokesman previously said of its strategy: “The Government is closing every asylum hotel, saving taxpayers over £1billion on asylum support since the election.

“We are working to fairly house asylum seekers across the country, moving asylum seekers into alternative accommodation, including former military sites which are designed to be self-contained to reduce impact on the local community.

“As part of the process, we engage with local authorities and police forces to ensure the safety and security of those in the surrounding area.”

The funding comes amid nationwide backlash from several British communities opposing both current and future asylum sites.

One of the most public disputes from campaigners in Piddington has captured attention worldwide.

Residents in the quaint Oxfordshire village held a symbolic referendum last month and voted to “leave the UK” in protest at the Home Office plan to house up to 1,256 male asylum seekers at the nearby former MoD Bicester.

The small village holds a population of less than 400 people, with asylum seekers outnumbering female residents “10 to one” if plans are approved.

Residents of Barnham have become the second village to vote to hold a referendum on leaving the UK, over plans to house 913 asylum seekers at their nearby RAF base.

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Barnham’s population hovers around 600, leaving the residents outnumbered by the asylum seekers, who are all expected to be young single men.

Campaigners in Linton-on-Ouse have also called for a Government investigation after claims that creating an asylum site in their community could cost taxpayers £270million.

The group claims the centre could cost between £443 and £853 per occupied bed per night, depending on occupancy levels, significantly more than the cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels.

The Linton-on-Ouse Action Group has written to the Chancellor, demanding a full financial review before the government uses the newly-announced £150million to convert the former RAF base on the edge of the village in North Yorkshire.

Under the latest proposals, the former RAF base would house single adult male asylum seekers aged 18 to 65, with CCTV and 24-hour security.

The men would be free to come and go, but would be required to sign in and out.

Labour said the scheme would operate for a minimum of three years and cut Britain’s reliance on expensive asylum hotels.

Linton-on-Ouse Action Group will keep campaigning against the plans and the Home Office says it has not yet made a final decision.