A Sudanese asylum seeker living in a government-funded hotel in central London has ignited controversy after the Daily Mail reported he turned his Thistle City Barbican room into a high-end workspace, despite receiving a weekly allowance of £49.18.
Images published by the paper showed Apple devices (MacBook, iMac), shopping bags from Selfridges and Liberty, a Louis Vuitton wallet and a Nespresso machine. The report questioned the source of his income and the legality of an alleged graphic-design business said to generate thousands of pounds a month.
According to the coverage, the man had spent the past two years in Dubai and his wife works for a UAE investment firm—details that intensified debate online. Critics called the case a blatant abuse of public support, while others argued the story feeds anti-refugee sentiment rather than addressing policy and due-process issues.
