Labour Expands Military Camps To House Immigrants As Hotel Plan Fails

Labour Expands Military Camps To House Asylum Seekers As Hotel Plan Fails

Ministers Turn To Army Bases As Migrant Accommodation Crisis Deepens

Labour is preparing to house thousands more asylum seekers on former military bases as ministers struggle to end Britain's costly reliance on migrant hotels.

The Home Office has unveiled plans to convert three additional Ministry of Defence sites into asylum accommodation, capable of housing around 3,750 people if planning permission is approved.

The proposed sites include Bicester in Oxfordshire, Barnham in Suffolk and Linton-on-Ouse in North Yorkshire. Ministers also want to extend the use of existing asylum camps at Wethersfield in Essex beyond 2027 and Crowborough in East Sussex until at least 2030.

The move comes despite Labour's repeated pledge to end the use of asylum hotels, which have become a flashpoint for protests across the country.

Hotel Numbers Fall But Thousands Still Need Housing

Government figures show 20,885 asylum seekers were still living in hotels as of March, accounting for around 21 per cent of all asylum applicants awaiting decisions.

A further 72,768 migrants were housed in other forms of taxpayer-funded accommodation.

Although the number of hotel residents has fallen sharply from a peak of 56,000 in 2023, the Home Office admitted 170 hotels are still being used despite announcing the closure of another 20 this week.

Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris insisted military sites were a better alternative.

"We are moving asylum seekers into ex-military sites that are a far cry from the hotels the last government left us with."

He claimed Labour was bringing the asylum system "back under control."

Conservatives Attack Labour's Immigration Strategy

The Conservatives dismissed the policy as another failure to tackle illegal migration.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said ministers should focus on removing failed asylum seekers instead of finding them new accommodation.

"Labour should be putting illegal immigrants on a plane home rather than messing around with military camps and hotels."

He warned that without tougher deportation powers there would be no effective deterrent against illegal Channel crossings.

Local Opposition Continues To Grow

The use of former military bases has repeatedly sparked fierce opposition from residents and campaign groups.

Earlier this week, plans to house up to 300 male asylum seekers at Cameron Barracks in Inverness were abandoned following local protests.

The British Red Cross also criticised the expansion, warning that isolated military sites can retraumatise people fleeing conflict and persecution.

Tougher Asylum Laws On The Way

The announcement comes ahead of Labour's new Immigration and Asylum Bill, expected to be introduced to Parliament next week.

The legislation aims to speed up the removal of failed asylum seekers and increase deportations, although it is expected to face opposition from sections of Labour's own MPs.

The majority of migrants currently housed in hotels arrived after crossing the English Channel in small boats.

Despite closing 20 hotels, Labour continues to face mounting pressure over the cost of the asylum system, which spent £2.1 billion on hotel accommodation during 2024-25 alone.

SOURCE