High Court judge criticices Home Secretary

Pritti Patel has been criticised in court by Mr Justice Graham after one of her officials in the home office admitted they may have acted unlawfully in changing the accommodation policy for asylum seekers during the pandemic. This was regarding the eviction of refused asylum seekers to adhere to Covid restrictions within the accommodation buildings.

The judge raised concerns that the Home Secretary had use public funds without legal authority as one official stated in court that they had not considered whether they had the ‘power’ to administer such changes.

The case concerned 4 joint legal challenged from asylum seekers and the hearing has been adjourned until the 27th May to allow the home office to identify the legal basis for it’s policy.