Stockport hotel set to be used to house asylum seekers next week

A Stockport hotel is set to become a housing centre for asylum seekers next week. And the government only informed local leaders of the move yesterday.

The hotel, which the Manchester Evening News is choosing not to name, will house asylum seekers ‘from next week’, a spokesperson for Stockport council has confirmed.

They have added that the authority was only given notice on the decision on Thursday (August 10), just four days before the first asylum seekers are due to move in.

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As of Friday evening (August 11), the council says it still has no idea how many people will move into the hotel. They also cannot provide an exact date on when the conversion will take place.

The spokesperson said: “We were informed yesterday that the Home Office and Serco intend to use the hotel to house asylum seekers from next week. We do not have any further details on the exact date or how many asylum seekers will be moved.

“We are awaiting further details from the Home Office and Serco.”

The government’s asylum policy is currently under the spotlight, with 39 asylum seekers being taken off the newly-occupied Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge today after Legionella bacteria was found in its water supply. There’s another controversy in Manchester too.

According to the city council, Serco wants to lift a moratorium set-up by the last Labour government, which bans asylum seekers being housed in north Manchester. However, Serco has refused to comment on the request, while the Home Office did not address the claims directly.

It’s led the area’s MP, Graham Stringer, to blast the government for being ‘secretive’. He said: "It's very disturbing that