Councils are on the frontline. They collect our bins, care for our elderly and keep our streets safe. They are where national policy meets daily life. But under Labour, too often councils have been left with short-term fixes and no stability to plan ahead. That must change.
Few issues show the strain more clearly than asylum hotels. These were meant as a short-term measure. They became costly and disruptive. When I was home secretary, we closed sites like the Bell Hotel in Epping and halved the number of asylum hotels. The principle was clear: hotels are not the right place for asylum seekers, and they are not fair on the towns that host them.
