Dame Diana Johnson

Dame Diana Johnson

Labour — Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham

Speaking in the House of Commons on 21 July 2025

Debate

Asylum Hotels: Migrant Criminal Activity

Contribution

Let me repeat to the House that any allegation of crime or sexual assault—including by individuals in the asylum system—is incredibly serious and is to be treated so by the authorities and by the Government. I regret the tone that the shadow Home Secretary is taking on such a serious and important matter. I also gently remind him to look at his record and that of the Conservative party on this issue. More than 400 asylum hotels were in operation at their peak, housing over 50,000 people at a cost of almost £9 million a day. Enforced returns were down 50% on 2010. Returns of foreign national offenders had fallen by a thousand. Criminal smuggler gangs were able to exploit our weak border security—

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