Charlie Stayt grills SNP on plans for Afghan refugees

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Jane and her family, who do not want their surname being used, were due to stay at the Mercure George Hotel in Berkshire for their annual trip for Reading Festival. They had booked their two rooms around one year before their travel date – Saturday August 28.

But just days before the event, all bookings for this period were cancelled to accommodate Afghan refugees instead.

It left Jane and her family, from Doncaster, South Yorkshire, in the lurch, desperate to scramble for somewhere to stay at late notice.

Speaking to Berkshire Live, the mum said: “Experience says it’s impossible to get taxis when the festival is on, so one of us will have to not drink for the day and park in one of the local multi-storeys.

“It sounds incredibly privileged and makes me feel quite uncomfortable to complain about this.

“I know what these people are going through is thousands of times worse than us losing our hotel booking. But at the same time, I feel the bookings should’ve been honoured.

“At this time of year, most of the people there would’ve been only there for this weekend.”

Jane and her family managed to find rooms in a hotel out of the town. It means one of their family members will have to drive into the centre and refrain from drinking.

They were notified of the U-turn around one week before their arrival date.

Mercure’s email reads: “We are sure you have been watching the recent turn of events with horror and disbelief and maybe have at times thought if there was some way to help them.

“As the scale of the crisis in Afghanistan grow, the Home Office are struggling with the number of refugees to re-home.

“They have started to reach out to local authorities to ask for help within their communities for housing.

“We have been approached by the Home Office to house these people, after much deliberation we have agreed to house these people for the interim.

“We have not taken this decision lightly and know the effect it has on you and your plans, however we feel it was the right decision to make in view of the humanitarian crisis facing these people.

“We have been looking forward to your stay at the Mercure George, however due to a turn in circumstances as advised above we have to request you to look to make some alternative arrangements.

“We do hope and are sure that our guest – you – will help us support these people in these dire times and understand our dilemma.”

The government confirmed it will take 20,000 Afghan refugees over the next four years – around 5,000 a year.

People have been fleeing the country after it was taken over by the Taliban regime.

A Home Office spokesman said: “The UK has a proud history of protecting people in life-threatening situations and we are determined to help as many Afghans as possible through the Afghan Citizen’s Resettlement Scheme

“We do not provide a running commentary on accommodation that may or may not be under consideration for those claiming asylum or arriving in the UK from Afghanistan, for safeguarding reasons.”

The hotel chain has been asked for comment but has yet to respond.

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