PM Rishi Sunak responds after grilling over Government contract being awarded to man with criminal conviction for asylum seeker hotel in Milton Keynes

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has commented on the circumstances which led to a man with a criminal conviction overseeing a asylum seeker Home Office operation in Milton Keynes.

The Prime Minister spoke to the MK Citizen and other members of the press on a visit to Milton Keynes today (15 August) after the Government announced extra funding for NHS services in the city.

When grilled by BBC journalist Amy Holmes on why a Home Office contract was awarded to Siddharth Mahajan, a man with a criminal conviction, the Conservative Leader was unable to provide a definitive answer.

Asylum seekers were due to be temporarily housed at Harben House Hotel in Tickford Street, Newport Pagnell.

But now, Labour Councillors are calling for the contract to be ripped up due to Mahajan’s criminal conviction, while local MP, Ben Everitt, was said to be furious upon hearing the news.

Mr Sunak said: “The overarching thing I’d say is that I share the frustration of communities here, and up-and-down the country, when it comes to illegal migrants being housed in hotels.

"I think it is completely unfair and it is costing taxpayers not just here, but across the country £6 million a day. I don’t think that’s right. I don’t think that is fair. That is why we are exploring alternative options, like the barge that people will be aware of, and other large sites like that, ex-military bases and things.

"But also more fundamentally, why we need to stop the boats. It is one of my five priorities, we’ve passed the toughest laws that any Government has ever passed and together with the new deals that we have got with countries like Albania, it will help us reduce the overall numbers, so [it will] reduce the pressure on local communities.”

Labour councillors revealed that Mahajan was convicted of running an illegal house share operation and sentenced to 12 weeks in jail back in 2023.

When pressed for more answers the Prime Minister added: “I can completely understand people’s frustrations. People are rightly frustrated by it. I am frustrated by it.”