In a year marked by protests and turmoil, Epping’s council lashes out at the Prime Minister over controversial asylum seeker housing plans.
Epping council has slammed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for displaying (Image: Getty)
Epping council has slammed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for displaying “crass insensitivity” over proposals to house more asylum seekers in the area, following a tumultuous year marked by protests and a high-profile sexual assault case.
According to the Telegraph, Chris Whitbread, the council’s leader, has penned a scathing letter to Sir Keir and his ministers, expressing outrage over a Home Office contractor’s plan to procure eight flats in the area to accommodate asylum-seeking families.
The council’s fury comes on the heels of a failed legal bid to prevent The Bell Hotel from being used to house asylum seekers. The hotel became a flashpoint for nationwide protests after the sexual assault of a 14-year-old girl by 41-year-old Ethiopian migrant Hadush Kebatu.
In his letter, addressed to the Prime Minister, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Justice Secretary David Lammy, and Housing Secretary Steve Reed, Mr Whitbread underscored the profound impact of housing asylum seekers within the district.
‘Catastrophic’ year for community, says council leader
“The last year has been catastrophic for our community, with fear, anxiety and protests spilling out from Epping across our district to include areas such as Waltham Abbey, Loughton and Buckhurst Hill,” he wrote.
Mr Whitbread expressed disbelief at the “tone deaf” approach of Clearsprings and the Home Office, as the council and local partners strive to stabilize the situation before embarking on the recovery process.
“These proposals to procure no less than eight properties for the accommodation of more asylum seekers within our district are incomprehensible,” he declared, urging the government to “reconsider, intervene and stop this ludicrous proposal before it goes any further.”
The council leader noted that Epping currently hosts two Home Office asylum hotels, with the second, The Phoenix, partially destroyed in an arson attack perpetrated by one of the residents at the beginning of 2025.
Manhunt for convicted asylum seeker exacerbated tensions
Mr Whitbread also highlighted the case of Hadush Kebatu, whose mistaken release from Chelmsford Prison sparked a police manhunt and further exacerbated community tensions already present within the district.
Sir Keir has pledged to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers by the close of Parliament in 2029, but is reportedly seeking to accelerate the timeline, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he has privately set a deadline for next year.
As part of the government’s plans, ministers are proposing to move 900 migrants into two barracks: Cameron in Inverness and Crowborough training camp in East Sussex.
Epping council’s strongly-worded letter underscores the deep-seated frustrations and concerns of local communities grappling with the challenges of housing asylum seekers, as the government attempts to navigate a sensitive and politically charged issue.
