Home Office scraps plan to house asylum seekers in Dudley hotel

The hotel – which the Express & Star has not named – had been lined up to temporarily house 144 migrants while their asylum applications are dealt with.

But following opposition from residents and Dudley North Conservative MP Marco Longhi MP the plan has now been ditched.

In a statement, the Home Office said the hotel in question was no longer under consideration for the purpose of temporarily housing asylum seekers.

Mr Longhi, who last month launched a campaign to stop the hotel from being filled with migrants, said: "I am thrilled with this news.

"This area of Dudley in particular has suffered, and is still suffering, from high levels of anti-social behaviour and crime.

"So this is a big win for residents.

"I have been made aware that the hotel is being used to house homeless people. I would much rather look after own first which is much better than housing illegal immigrants who cheat our system.

"I’d like to send a big thank you to everyone who contacted me to support me in this campaign."

Mr Longhi was notified last month by the Home Office of the intention to take over the hotel, prompting Dudley Council to consider serving a temporary stop notice on the site.

Across the West Midlands more than 20 hotels are currently being used for asylum seekers under a Home Office deal with Serco.

Rishi Sunak has pledged to end the system and use other venues such as disused care homes and holiday parks instead.

In 2023 almost 46,000 people succeeded in making the journey to the UK across the Channel, marking the highest number since records began in 2018.