Political opinion: Euan Stainbank MP - We will fix the broken asylum system and end the use of hotels
The asylum system has been broken for years, leaving people trapped, unable to work or contribute meaningfully. Hotels, which the Tories promised would be only a temporary measure, remain in use and continue to cause frustration in our community.
The Labour Government’s decision, within days of taking office, to scrap the £700m Rwanda scheme was the right one. It only delivered four voluntary removals, was legally dubious, and had no deterrent effect on dangerous Channel crossings. Instead, those scarce resources have been redirected to speeding up asylum decision making and into a new Border Security Command to smash criminal gangs.
Already, 59,000 fewer asylum seekers were in the system at the start of the year compared to what we would have inherited under the old regime. Decisions are now being made at more than double the rate they were pre-election, and Labour’s Border Security Command has disrupted 40% more organised criminal gangs than last year.
Labour’s Borders Bill will equip the Government with counter-terrorism powers to dismantle exploitative gangs and prevent sexual offenders from ever being granted asylum here.
By contrast, Reform opposes this vital legislation. Their plan would waste further billions on return deals with despots like the Taliban while scrapping human rights protections that safeguard free speech, right to assembly and fair trials for our citizens. That is not a solution: it wastes money, ignores the root causes, and undermines my constituents’ rights.
Equally shameful are the signs calling for violence, a brick chucked through the window of the Cladhan on Monday, the presence of far-right groups, and reports of intimidation of people based on race. I condemn such incidents outright. I know many in our community who do have concerns about asylum feel the same about this thuggery.
This does not diminish the seriousness with which I take concerns about asylum. I have repeatedly raised issues in Parliament, including processing times, financial support available for host communities, and the horrific crime committed by Sadeeq Nikzad. Since my election I have held over 70 surgeries, discussing individual concerns that cannot effectively be addressed in public forums.
Everyone deserves to be listened to and to be given the truth — which, unlike some of the recent misinformation, can take time to gather.
The previous Tory Government failed to explain or win support for its hotels policy in 2021. While we are working tirelessly to end the use of hotels for good, I have consistently raised with Ministers, Falkirk Council and Police Scotland the need for proper public engagement. This has already led to Falkirk Council publishing detailed answers to questions raised by local people: Refugee resettlement: Frequently asked questions - Falkirk Council.
This Government must get this right. My priority remains holding them to account on behalf of the people I represent. For Falkirk, that means finishing the job of fixing the broken asylum system and ending the use of hotels for good.