The Green-led council has already ruled out an injunction
An anti-immigration protest in Bristol city centre in August 9 (Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
Opposition Conservatives want Bristol City Council to seek an injunction to stop hotels being used to house asylum seekers.
The group has tabled a motion to full council urging the Green-led administration to ‘urgently assess the merits’ of following the legal action by Epping Forest District Council, which won a High Court ruling against the government to force the removal of migrants from the Bell Hotel, ‘where it is deemed to be in the best interests of the community’.
That ruling was overturned at the Court of Appeal last week. The Greens and Labour have also tabled motions on the controversial issue, both in favour of offering more support to asylum seekers and bolstering Bristol’s status as a City of Sanctuary.
It follows angry scenes in the city centre last month when anti-immigration demonstrators gathered outside an ‘asylum hotel’ but were met by a bigger group of counter-protesters, with a large police presence separating the two sides.
The Conservative motion, by Stockwood ward Cllr Jonathan Hucker, to the meeting on Tuesday, September 9, asks councillors to back his proposals, which include writing to the Home Office expressing the local authority’s concerns about the use of hotels in Bristol for migrant accommodation.
It also requests the government to adopt the Tory Party’s draft Deportation Bill, which would introduce an annual cap on migration numbers, double residency requirements, disapply the Human Rights Act provisions regarding immigration, and strengthen deportation powers for foreign-born criminals.
Cllr Hucker said: “Leaving aside legal niceties over the actual status of those who gain entry to our country through unregulated means, it is obvious to most people that the existing management of this issue has failed.
“If anything, the escalating costs and growing demand shows that this problem is only getting worse under the Labour government.
“The apparent unwillingness of politicians to take meaningful action is fuelling community tensions and leading to public protest.
“The UK’s asylum system must be firm and fair – neither of which can be said to be the case under our current arrangements.
“To quote one former Labour Minister, the Home Office in this regard is still ‘not fit for purpose’.
“Moreover, housing thousands of people in taxpayer funded hotels – 32,059 as of June 2025 – is completely unaffordable, unrealistic, and patently unsustainable.
“Whilst the propriety of using hotels for this purpose is subject to High Court appeal and awaits further clarification, radical change is urgently needed to address new economic and practical realities.
“Legislation based on the draft Deportation Bill provisions would correct many of the more obvious shortcomings in dealing with modern illegal or irregular migration flows.
“These are ideas which deserve to be debated and if necessary refined not simply dismissed, disparaged or ignored.”
‘Far right hysteria’
But a motion tabled by Cllr Tim Rippington (Labour, Brislington East) asks the council to reaffirm its commitment as a City of Sanctuary and ‘continue to receive and support refugees, asylum seekers and migrants who want to live in our city and make a meaningful contribution’.
It requests that the authority does not pursue court action to close hotels housing asylum seekers and to ‘condemn irresponsible rhetoric that seeks to divide our communities and risks fuelling a repeat of racist violence seen on our streets in the summer of 2024’.
The motion said: “The hysteria surrounding hotels hosting asylum seekers is being stirred up by far-right groups in order to scapegoat people who are often here seeking refuge from severe danger in other countries.
“As a recognised City of Sanctuary, Bristol must continue to stand up in support of those people who come here seeking shelter from danger overseas.”
Another motion, by Cllr Abdul Malik (Green, Ashley), also asks the council to reaffirm Bristol’s City of Sanctuary commitment and asks it to push for safe and legal migration routes ‘enabling individuals to come to the UK and contribute to society without fear of persecution or destitution’.
It calls on the government to reform immigration policies to allow asylum seekers the right to work while their applications are processed, abolish the ‘no recourse to public funds condition’ to ensure access to essential services, and remove the criminal enforcement focus from immigration.
The motion also proposes the abolition of detention centres and ‘ending the hostile environment’. It said: “Migration contributes significantly to Bristol’s economy, culture, and community cohesion, with many migrants playing key roles in our healthcare, education, and local businesses.
(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach PLC)
“The current immigration policies and border controls in the UK often result in inhumane treatment of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, limiting opportunities for them to contribute to society and build better lives.
“The Green Party manifesto advocates for the dismantling of discriminatory border practices and calls for a fair, compassionate, and managed approach to migration.
“The incoming Labour government has announced policies that risk further criminalising migration, such as the creation of a Border Security Command and an emphasis on enforcement-led removals and expanded detention facilities.
“These measures could worsen the hostile environment and undermine the UK’s international obligations to protect refugees and uphold human rights.
“By embracing diversity, we strengthen our communities and enrich the cultural fabric of our city.”
Last month, Bristol City Council leader Cllr Tony Dyer (Green, Southville) reaffirmed Bristol’s City of Sanctuary status and ruled out applying for an injunction to stop hotels being used for asylum seekers.
None of the motions are likely to be debated at the meeting because of time constraints.