Overview

• Sky News resurfaced footage shows Robert Jenrick saying he had “ramped up” procurement of hotels in late 2022 as new sites were coming online almost monthly.
• Jenrick says Reform’s video is selectively edited and argues his comments referenced an overcrowded Kent processing centre and legal risks that required urgent accommodation.
• Sky News notes the number of asylum seekers housed in hotels peaked at just over 55,000 under the Conservatives, a data point Reform cites in its criticism.
• Nigel Farage shared historical clips and labelled Jenrick a “fraud,” claiming about 56,000 Channel arrivals were placed in hotels during Jenrick’s tenure as immigration minister.
• Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf told GB News that Jenrick should apologise to Epping protesters, while Labour called him a disgrace for attending a local demonstration where Eddy Butler was present and urged Kemi Badenoch to act.