Refugees from Afghanistan will be moved out of a Swindon hotel and helped to re-settle in the town.

Some of the evacuees who arrived in the UK after fleeing the Taliban in August 2021 were placed at the Marriott Hotel, in Pipers Way, as a temporary measure.

The government has now announced that more funding will be given to local authorities to increase the amount of support available for Afghans which will allow them to relocate from the hotel and settle in suitable homes around the area.

The move has been welcomed by South Swindon MP, Sir Robert Buckland, but one Afghan refugee has criticised the move as unfair, as it does not give refugees "any choice over where they would go".

Sir Robert held discussions with the Home Office, urging them to provide a longer-term plan to speed up the resettlement process.

He welcomed the new funding and added: “Many Afghans made an invaluable contribution to the British Military and our international partners, standing by the UK to uphold democratic values.

"They have fled genuine persecution, and rightly came here through safe and legal routes.

“This new plan and the new funding will help to take the pressure off local councils, including Swindon Borough Council, and reduce the use of hotels which do not offer suitable long-term accommodation and have added pressure on local communities.

“I am pleased with the level of engagement there has been with me on this important and sensitive matter.”

The Refugee Council is a national charity that campaigns for the rights of refugees and pushes for improvements to be made to the laws and policies that affect them.

Afghan refugee and women’s rights activist Zahra Shaheer, who had lived in a hotel with her two children, said she did not think it was fair for the government not to give refugees a choice over where they go.

She said: "I believe that the hotels are not somewhere that refugees would want to stay, and the evacuees are more than happy to resettle as soon as possible.

"However, they have the right to choose their location and should be able to stay near their relatives if they have any. They should be able to choose a place where they feel peace and comfort, and where they can access job opportunities.

"Refugees should have the right to make decisions and plan their lives like anyone else – and should be supported to integrate and make a contribution to society. Harsh policies which deny refugees choice and opportunity just hurt everyone."