Six Silent MPs — Tell Your Durham MP To Speak Up

What the letter says

The pause is over. Nobody told you.

Durham had a pause on asylum accommodation procurement. It was put in place because of the pressure already being carried by our towns and villages. On 30 July the Home Office confirmed in writing that the pause has gone and the contractor, Mears, has been instructed to start buying again.

They did this in MarchThe Home Office lifted the pause once before without telling anyone. The council objected. Immigration Minister Alex Norris apologised in writing and put the pause back.
Four months later, they have done it againOfficials now say it is “no longer possible” to keep the pause in place, and Mears has been instructed to recommence procurement in Durham.
An extra 100 to 150 bedspacesThe Home Office's own figure for what it wants to find here, on top of what already exists.
Our MPs knew on 24 JuneThe letter is a write-up of that meeting, and states it was sent to the MPs who attended. Five weeks ago.

In March, Durham's MPs got that apology in writing. It has been torn up. Not one of them has said a word.

Durham County Council is bringing in an Article 4 Direction on 17 August. It removes the permitted development rights that let houses be converted into shared accommodation without planning permission, which is the route these properties normally take. From that date it goes through the planning system, in public, where residents can see it and object.

That is what a council can do. Only MPs can lean on the Home Office. So make them.

The numbers

Ten thousand waiting. Three thousand homes.

10,000+ on the housing registerPeople in County Durham waiting for a home, according to the council's own figures.
3,000 homes a yearAll that becomes available to let them. The sums do not work now, before anyone adds to the demand.
100 to 150 more bedspaces wantedOn top of that, concentrated in the areas Mears already targets.

To be straight about this, because it matters: asylum seekers are not placed in council houses. Those are for Durham residents and the minister has confirmed it. The pressure is on the private stock. Mears buys ordinary three and four bedroom family houses on the open market, and it buys them where they are cheapest, which means Stanley, Ferryhill and the places already carrying the most.

That is the same housing a family on the register is waiting for. In a county where 10,000 people are already queuing for 3,000 homes a year, taking family houses out of circulation is not a neutral act.

It is time our Labour MPs put Durham first.

The letter

Read it yourself.

This is the Home Office letter of 30 July 2026, sent to Durham County Council and to the MPs who attended the meeting on 24 June. Names have been redacted. Scroll to read it in full.

Home Office · Asylum Supplier Management, Assurance and Insight30 July 2026

Following our meeting on 24 June 2026 to discuss the recommencing of procurement of asylum accommodation in Durham, I wanted to share a read out of the discussions.

Last year the unprecedented decision was made to implement a temporary pause on procurement activity in Durham. This decision was based on concerns at the time regarding community cohesion concerns along with an assumption that the projected pipeline would deliver sufficient bedspaces to bring Durham to their allocated Service User Demand Plan (SUDP).

While this approach was proportionate and aligned with the forecasts available at that time, the anticipated pipeline did not fully materialise. In addition, Mears have also experienced several property hand backs which were not anticipated and therefore not factored into the original projections.

Following a further review earlier this year, Home Office officials took the decision to continue with the temporary pause to allow additional time for discussions with Mears and yourselves. This included a reassessment of the current and expected pipeline, which identified an additional 100-150 bedspaces, would be required to replace those that had been lost.

As shared in the meeting, we are now in the position where it is no longer possible to continue with the pause, and we have therefore instructed Mears to recommence procurement activity in Durham. Additionally, Mears have been asked to incorporate any known or expected hand backs into their planning assumptions so that procurement activity is as accurate, forward looking, and responsive as possible. Mears expect new properties to come online at a much slower pace, reflecting a more controlled and measured approach to delivery.

We want to reiterate that we are committed to working closely with yourselves and Local Authorities in Durham to ensure you are fully sighted on this change in position. We will continue to work closely with Mears to ensure that all activity is delivered appropriately and with full regard to local considerations.

This letter has also been sent to those MPs who attended the meeting on 24 June 2026.

Yours sincerely · Deputy Director, Asylum Supplier Management, Assurance and Insight

Scroll inside the letter to read it all

On the record

What our six MPs have said.

Every one of them was sent this letter. Here is what each has said publicly about it since.

Bishop Auckland

Sam Rushworth

There is “no plan” to increase the number of asylum seekers allocated to Durham.

March 2026, when the pause was reinstated

Nothing since 30 JulyThe Home Office is now asking for 100 to 150 more bedspaces. Does that quote still stand?

Blaydon and Consett

Liz Twist