Starmer vows to close 'every single asylum hotel', insisting he 'completely gets' migrant concerns
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to close every asylum hotel in the UK amid mounting protests across the country.
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Addressing the subject of migrant hotels, Sir Keir Starmer said he was challenged on his feelings should a hotel housing asylum seekers be set up at the end of his road.
"I completely get it," Starmer says, adding: "Local people by and large do not want these hotels in their towns, in their place, and nor do I.
"I'm completely at one with them on that," he insisted.
It comes as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper fought back against criticism over Labour's handling of asylum seekers and people smugglers earlier this week.
The pushback followed a summer dominated by criticism over the small boats crisis and asylum hotels.
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Speaking on Monday, Starmer insisted he was listening to the concerns of residents across the UK where migrant hotels are concerned, voicing his desire to close them "as quickly as possible".
"When it comes to the asylum hotels, I want them emptied," he said.
"I want to see every single asylum hotel closed," Starmer says.
It comes as Reform's Nigel Farage criticised the Government over its handling of asylum seekers and a backlog of applications last week.
Starmer was seen to address the concerns, insisting that Farage and Reform are setting out to "feed on grievance".
"They don't want the problem solved," he adds, accusing the party of putting forward "unworkable, fanciful ideas".
On Monday, Ms Cooper said the Government’s overhaul of the “broken” asylum system will contribute to ending the use of asylum hotels, an issue which has led to widespread protests over the summer.
The Home Secretary will also set out planned changes to the refugee family reunion process to give “greater fairness and balance”.
It comes as the Prime Minister insisted he was “very encouraging” of people putting up national flags, but warned against devaluing and belittling them.
Asked about a recent trend of flags being hung on lampposts across the country, the PM insisted he supported such nationalism.
He insisted "I'm a supporter of flags" as he pointed towards one.