Reform is stepped up a ‘Lawfare’ campaign to lock asylum hotels in areas where it now controls the council.
Deputy leader Richard Tice said the party had a ‘brilliant KC’ and a ‘team of lawyers’ willing to act for free – and would use ‘whatever levers we can’.
However, he acknowledged that the efforts might not succeed, with similar legal challenges by local authorities having failed before.
Reform took control of 10 town halls – including Lincolnshire, Kent and Durham county councils – in an extraordinary election surge on May 1.
The party also secured another MP by winning the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, and won mayoralties in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire.
Nigel Farage has pledged to introduce taskforces to audit spending in councils and crack down on Net Zero and diversity initiatives.
But immigration could be the biggest focus, with Reform determined to resist asylum seekers being housed in areas they now control.
Reform deputy leader Richard Tice said the party had a ‘brilliant KC’ and a ‘team of lawyers’ willing to act for free – and would use ‘whatever levers we can’
A group being brought ashore at Dover after small boat Channel crossings this weekend
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The Labour government has pledged to shut down so-called asylum hotels and put people in better value accommodation, while committing to tackle Channel boat crossings.
However, numbers have been running above previous levels and there are fears the hotels will be needed for years to come.
Appearing on Sky News this morning, Mr Tice said Reform will use ‘whatever levers we can in those ten councils, including Lawfare’.
‘We’ve got a team of lawyers,’ he said.
‘So, yes, we will use whatever levers we can, whether it’s health and safety, whether it’s planning, whatever it is.
‘Because the truth is, we’ve been given a mandate to stop the these asylum hotels in those council areas.
‘We’ve been given a mandate. Our constituents don’t want housing in Lincolnshire, where I’m an MP in Boston and Skegness being taken up by illegal migrants.
‘If the Greens and the Lib Dems are so keen, frankly, they can go there.’
Mr Tice acknowledged that the previous administration in Lincolnshire – where he is an MP – had already tried legal tactics to get accommodation shut down.
However, he suggested ‘they didn’t do it properly’ saying Reform would ‘try and try again’.
‘We will make life very difficult for the Home Office. We’re going to put pressure on the Home Office,’ Mr Tice said.
Nigel Farage has pledged to introduce taskforces to audit spending in councils and crack down on Net Zero and diversity initiatives
‘We control Lincolnshire County Council with 44 councillors and we won’t always succeed. But if you don’t try, you’ve got no chance.’
There are reports that pre-action legal letters could be sent as soon as this week.
Reform chairman Zia Yusuf has pointed to a 2022 case where Great Yarmouth borough council managed to block asylum hotels on the town’s historic seafront. That was won on the basis it could hit tourism.
Public money can be used to fund legal challenges by local authorities against central government.
