New asylum hotels act as a 'massive incentive' for small boat migrant crossings, ministers warned after it emerged seven more have been opened since Labour came to power

Opening more asylum hotels will act as a 'massive incentive' for small boat crossings, Labour has been warned. Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle revealed last week that asylum hotel use had risen since Labour entered government, with seven new hotels being brought into use since the general election in July. But during Home Office questions, Tory MP Julia Lopez said: 'In recent weeks Channel crossings have been far higher than the Home Office expected, and that is why we have seen ministers rapidly approving new asylum hotels. Around 300 asylum seekers are being housed at the Cresta Court Hotel in Altrincham, near Manchester Migrants board a smuggler's boat in an attempt to cross the English Channel, on the beach of Gravelines, near Dunkirk, northern France During Home Office questions, Tory MP Julia Lopez suggested new asylum hotels would provide a motive for migrants to come to Britain Ms Cooper replied: 'Unfortunately, before the last election the previous government cut asylum decision making by 75% in the run-up to the election, took away case workers, and that is why the backlog was soaring. The Mayor of Calais recently labelled British calls for French border police to be tougher on illegal migration as 'pure hypocrisy' and pushed to scrap a deal between the two countries aimed at cracking down on Channel crossings Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe said 'good government is transparent government' as he called on the Home Office to publish 'the number of crimes committed by illegal migrants'.