Anti-migrant protests persisted across Britain on Sunday outside hotels housing asylum seekers, a day after police separated demonstrators and counter-protesters in several cities as tensions over immigration policies grew.
Immigration has become the public’s top concern in polls, adding pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government to deliver on its promise to end the costly reliance on hotels, which runs into billions of pounds each year.
Recent weeks have seen regular protests outside hotels, fuelled partly by concerns about safety after a migrant housed east of London was charged with sexual assault. On Sunday, demonstrations took place in Epping, Bristol and Birmingham.
A court ruling last week ordered the removal of asylum seekers from a hotel in Epping, a site that has become a flashpoint for anti-immigration protests. The government has appealed the decision. Protesters gathered again there on Sunday, waving flags and holding placards reading “Epping says no” and “Stop the boats.”
Smaller anti-immigration rallies were also held on Saturday across towns and cities in England, Scotland and Wales.
Official figures released on Thursday showed asylum claims have reached record levels, with more migrants in hotels compared with a year earlier.
Nigel Farage, leader of the populist Reform UK party which has topped recent voting intention polls, told The Times he would pursue mass deportations if elected, including leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, striking repatriation deals with states such as Afghanistan and Eritrea, and creating holding sites for 24,000 migrants.
On Sunday, the Labour government announced reforms to the asylum appeals process aimed at cutting delays, reducing the backlog of 106,000 cases, and phasing out hotel use. Under the plan, an independent adjudicators’ body would be created to handle appeals.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper said the system had been left in “complete chaos” by the previous government and pledged to restore control. “We cannot carry on with these completely unacceptable delays,” she said.
A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on...
At a time when geopolitical tensions continue to ripple across multiple regions, from Ukraine to the Middle East, ...
Iran warned Armerican forces on Monday (4 May) not to enter the Strait of Hormuz, after the U.S. said it...
Austria has expelled three diplomats from the Russian Embassy over concerns that satellite installations on diplomatic buildings could be used for ...
Recent developments across the Middle East show political messaging is moving beyond traditional channels, with public art and AI-generated content...
A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on a pedestrianised street in the the eastern German city of Leipzig, authorities said.
At a time when geopolitical tensions continue to ripple across multiple regions, from Ukraine to the Middle East, the South Caucasus once again finds itself at the crossroads of diplomacy and uncertainty.
Austria has expelled three diplomats from the Russian Embassy over concerns that satellite installations on diplomatic buildings could be used for espionage.
A Russian missile strike killed six people in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Monday (4 May), as Kyiv reported fresh attacks on energy infrastructure and a sharp rise in drone strikes on ports.
A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on a pedestrianised street in the the eastern German city of Leipzig, authorities said.
Iran warned Armerican forces on Monday (4 May) not to enter the Strait of Hormuz, after the U.S. said it had launched a mission to try and reopen the sea passage. Meanwhile, Iran's Foreign Minister said there was no military solution to the Middle East conflict.
China has moved to block U.S. sanctions on five of its oil refineries, in a fresh escalation of tensions over trade and energy policy.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will “soon be reviewing” a new 14-point proposal sent by Iran, casting doubt on the chances of a deal after Tehran called for security guarantees, an end to naval blockades and a halt to the war across the region, including in Lebanon.
Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes on Sunday (3 May) across Russia, hitting key infrastructure and causing casualties in several regions, officials on both sides said.
A 77-year-old man and a 63-year-old woman were killed on Monday (4 May), after a man drove a car into a crowd on a pedestrianised street in the the eastern German city of Leipzig, authorities said.
Austria has expelled three diplomats from the Russian Embassy over concerns that satellite installations on diplomatic buildings could be used for espionage.
A Russian missile strike killed six people in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region on Monday (4 May), as Kyiv reported fresh attacks on energy infrastructure and a sharp rise in drone strikes on ports.
Australia and Japan agreed on Monday to deepen cooperation on energy and critical minerals, as Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met her Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese during a three-day visit.
Australia began public hearings on Monday in an inquiry into the Bondi Beach mass shooting in December, with Jewish Australians giving evidence about their experiences of rising domestic antisemitism.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment