‘It Is in Much of the Media’s Interest to Drive a Farage Victory’: How Asylum Became the Issue Obsessing Britain

When the press produces a daily stream of ‘invasion’ stories, or seizes on individual incidents involving asylum seekers as emblematic, it sells something people will always buy – fear and scapegoats, writes Jonathan Lis

In August, the High Court ruled that the Government must move the asylum seekers living at the Bell Hotel in Epping. The judgment followed a period of protests outside the hotel after the arrest of a resident for sexual assault.

Epping Forest District Council secured a temporary injunction which would have forced the migrants to leave, but this was overturned by the Court of Appeal. The council then lost a legal attempt to appeal its decision to the Supreme Court.

The issue has dominated the news agenda. At this point, it is difficult to conclude whether the coverage is driving or is simply reflecting public concerns – most likely they are now locked in a mutually reinforcing (and radicalising) symbiosis.