A significant majority of British voters disapprove of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s strategy of housing asylum seekers in hotels, a new YouGov poll for The Times has revealed. The findings highlight growing public discontent with the Labour government’s approach to immigration, even among its own supporters.

According to the survey conducted between August 20 and 21, 71% of respondents believe that the current policy on migrant accommodation is flawed. Notably, 56% of Labour Party voters also expressed dissatisfaction, reflecting a broader national concern that transcends political affiliations.

Starmer’s government has introduced a more humanitarian approach to immigration, replacing the Conservative term "illegal migration" with "irregular migration", and established a new Border Security Command and resumed processing asylum applications previously halted under Tory rule. Despite these efforts, confidence in Labour’s ability to manage the crisis remains low.

Only 9% of those polled believe Labour can handle the issue effectively, while just 6% support the Conservatives on this front. In contrast, 31% expressed confidence in Reform UK, the right-wing populist party led by Nigel Farage, signaling a shift in public sentiment towards more stringent immigration control.

Epping becomes a flashpoint in national debate

Tensions escalated in Epping, Essex, where local authorities opposed the use of The Bell Hotel to house asylum seekers. The Epping Forest District Council argued that such use violated zoning laws and lacked proper safety measures. Council head Chris Whitbread criticized the decision, noting the absence of criminal background checks for migrants placed near schools and a nursing home.

The situation intensified after a 38-year-old Ethiopian migrant, Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, was charged with sexually assaulting a minor. The incident sparked weeks of protests, resulting in clashes with police and 28 arrests. A High Court injunction was later issued, mandating the removal of all 140 asylum seekers from the hotel by mid-September.

Striking increase in xenophobia

In the past decade, xenophobic hate driven by the far-right has been largely responsible for stoking tensions and causing unrest. The summer riots of 2024 marked a turning point. Triggered by false rumors that a Muslim asylum seeker was responsible for a stabbing in Southport, the unrest spread rapidly across the country. In reality, the suspect was a British-born teenager of Rwandan descent, but misinformation shared online fueled outrage.

Between July 30 and August 5, 2024, riots erupted in 27 towns and cities, with over 29 anti-immigration demonstrations recorded. Far-right activists exploited the tensions, staging coordinated attacks on asylum hotels in Rotherham and Tamworth, where rioters attempted to set buildings ablaze while residents and staff were inside.

Mosques were also vandalized, and Muslim women wearing hijabs faced harassment and physical assault. Authorities described the events as the worst outbreak of race-related violence in decades.

Alongside xenophobia, Islamophobia in particular surged dramatically. According to the Islamophobia Response Unit, incidents rose by 763% in the year following the war on Gaza in October 2023. Monitoring group Tell Mama recorded nearly 6,000 anti-Muslim hate incidents in 2024, more than double the figure from two years earlier. 

Political rhetoric has further fueled these hostilities. For example, Labour leader Keir Starmer warned of the UK becoming an “island of strangers,” while other politicians, including Robert Jenrick, drew criticism for remarks about the decline of “white British” populations. Critics argue that such discourse legitimizes xenophobic attitudes and emboldens far-right activists.