Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faced renewed pressure over migrant housing after 700 people clashed outside an asylum hotel in Falkirk, Scotland. Police reinforcements were called as local residents and anti-racism groups threw bottles and objects during the protest on Saturday.
Tensions escalated following the jailing of Afghan asylum seeker Sadeq Nikzad, 29, a former resident of the Cladhan Hotel, for raping a 15-year-old local girl in June. Labour MP for Falkirk Euan Stainbank said the hotel system 'doesn’t work' and that the government will end its use. Scottish Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey called for alternative housing, citing 'legitimate safety concerns'.
The protest mirrors similar demonstrations in England, such as outside The Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex, where a temporary block on new asylum seekers was secured. A court ruling on Tuesday could set a precedent for other communities to challenge asylum hotels.
Recent Norstat polling shows 77% of Scottish voters want immigration to decrease or stay the same, reflecting UK-wide concerns. Nikzad, who entered the UK illegally, was given a 12-year extended sentence and is due for deportation after his term.
