UK plans to put illegal migrants in army barracks after protests

(MENAFN) The UK government is considering relocating illegal migrants to military barracks following widespread backlash against its practice of housing them in taxpayer-funded hotels.

Protests erupted across the country after a 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in July by a migrant staying at a hotel in Epping. By that time, around 45,000 asylum seekers were being accommodated in hotels, costing nearly £6 million ($8.1 million) per day. This spending has intensified public frustration amid the nation’s growing financial difficulties. On one day alone last weekend, over 1,000 migrants arrived in the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats, according to reports.

“We are looking at the potential use of military and non-military sites for temporary accommodation for the people who come across on these small boats that may not have a right to be here,” Defense Secretary John Healey stated. He further explained that migrants would need to be “processed rapidly” to assess whether they could be deported.

In response to the escalating crisis, the Prime Minister reshuffled his cabinet on Saturday, naming Shabana Mahmood as the new home secretary. She is reportedly empowered to address the surge of illegal migrants and the ongoing hotel accommodations issue.

The Prime Minister has faced intense criticism for his handling of the situation, with many accusing the government of placing the rights and safety of migrants above those of UK citizens. His approval rating has dropped sharply, influenced both by his immigration policies and his management of the Pakistani rape gang scandal. A recent poll found that nearly 70% of Britons hold an unfavorable view of the Prime Minister.

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