- Epping Forest District Council secured an interim High Court injunction to prevent asylum seekers from being housed at The Bell Hotel, citing it had become a "feeding ground for unrest" after violent protests.
- The injunction followed a series of protests at the hotel, including one where an asylum seeker staying there was charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
- Home Secretary Yvette Cooper made a last-minute attempt to halt the injunction, warning that other councils might make similar applications.
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage hailed the High Court decision as a "victory" and indicated that the 12 councils where Reform UK is the largest party would consider similar legal challenges.
- Conservative-run Broxbourne borough council announced it is considering pursuing its own injunction against an asylum hotel, while South Norfolk District Council is using planning rules to manage accommodation.
IN FULL