Harrow Council’s Conservative leadership forced through a motion at the council meeting on 18 September 2025 to block the use of local hotels for so-called “illegal migrant” accommodation – despite there being no hotels in the borough earmarked or suitable for this purpose.
The motion, carried by the group’s majority, was tabled by the council leader and deputy leader. It cites a recent legal battle in Epping Forest, where the district council (held by Conservatives at the time) sought to block the Bell Hotel’s use for asylum seekers. That injunction was later overturned, but the case was used as justification for Harrow administration’s meaningless move.
What has raised eyebrows is the language. The motion repeatedly refers to “illegal migrants,” a phrase campaigners and legal experts reject as inaccurate and inflammatory. Under international law, people have the right to claim asylum regardless of how they arrive in the UK, provided they present themselves to authorities. Critics say the council is stoking public hostility with misleading terminology.
Observers also question the political motives. Harrow’s Conservative leadership has no history of pandering to far-right rhetoric, yet to move a motion that has no practical local impact suggests pressure on the leadership to align with national Conservative hard-line and divisive messaging. Some see it as a defensive move to appease nationalist sentiment and guard against defections to Reform UK.
Harrow is one of the UK’s most diverse boroughs, with a long track record of strong community relations. By importing a divisive debate with no local basis, critics argue, the Conservatives risk cheapening that record and fuelling tensions where none exist. It also rings hollow to play to right-wing talking points while still turning up at cultural and seasonal events that thrive precisely because of the borough’s diversity.
The motion instructs officers to consider legal steps such as injunctions or planning enforcement should the Home Office ever attempt to use a Harrow hotel. But without any such proposals on the table, the measure amounts to political theatre – more about posturing than policy.
The motion, carried by the group’s majority, was tabled by the council leader and deputy leader. It cites a recent legal battle in Epping Forest, where the district council (held by Conservatives at the time) sought to block the Bell Hotel’s use for asylum seekers. That injunction was later overturned, but the case was used as justification for Harrow administration’s meaningless move.
What has raised eyebrows is the language. The motion repeatedly refers to “illegal migrants,” a phrase campaigners and legal experts reject as inaccurate and inflammatory. Under international law, people have the right to claim asylum regardless of how they arrive in the UK, provided they present themselves to authorities. Critics say the council is stoking public hostility with misleading terminology.
Observers also question the political motives. Harrow’s Conservative leadership has no history of pandering to far-right rhetoric, yet to move a motion that has no practical local impact suggests pressure on the leadership to align with national Conservative hard-line and divisive messaging. Some see it as a defensive move to appease nationalist sentiment and guard against defections to Reform UK.
Harrow is one of the UK’s most diverse boroughs, with a long track record of strong community relations. By importing a divisive debate with no local basis, critics argue, the Conservatives risk cheapening that record and fuelling tensions where none exist. It also rings hollow to play to right-wing talking points while still turning up at cultural and seasonal events that thrive precisely because of the borough’s diversity.
The motion instructs officers to consider legal steps such as injunctions or planning enforcement should the Home Office ever attempt to use a Harrow hotel. But without any such proposals on the table, the measure amounts to political theatre – more about posturing than policy.
Harrow Monitoring Group 