The Labour government is facing criticism over its spending priorities with ex-Southampton FC chairman Rupert Lowe questioning in Parliament the governments tax raid on farmers and cut-backs on pensioners benefits while the hotel bill for migrants is revealed to run into billions a year.
Rupert Lowe a Reform MP and former chairman of Southampton FC highlighted the government’s spending on luxury hotels for illegal migrants. According to the Home Office’s annual report, £3 billion was spent on hotel costs for illegal migrants in 2022/3 averaging £8 million per day. The Dolphin Hotel on Southampton High Street is one local example of premises used to house migrants that have crossed the channel from France.
Lowe contrasted this with the proposed “assault” on British farms and businesses through inheritance tax reforms, which are estimated to raise £520 million annually. He asked the Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum: “Does this Labour Government urgently need to re-think its spending priorities?”
Labour Cabinet member Angela Eagle who is Minister of State for Border Security and Asylum, responded to the question in Parliament. She stated: “We’ve just had a budget we’re in the middle of debating and voting on and I expect that will be the way we go forward.”
The exchange in Westminster has sparked a wider debate about the government’s handling of immigration costs and its impact on British taxpayers, particularly pensioners and family-run farms and businesses. Critics argue that the Labour government’s spending priorities are out of touch with the needs and concerns of ordinary everyday Britains. Its also argued that the scale of illegal migration into the UK is changing the fabric of the nation.
As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, the government’s allocation of funds will remain under scrutiny. The question remains: can the Labour government justify its spending on hotels for illegal migrants while proposing tax hikes on family farms and businesses and cutting back on support for pensioners over winter?
The debate is set to continue, with many calling for a rethink on the government’s spending priorities. As one MP stated: “It’s time for the Labour government to get its priorities straight and start putting the needs of British people first.”
