Wealthy areas must play their part in housing asylum seekers, Burnham suggests

Labour leader Andy Burnham has proposed that affluent regions of the UK should accommodate more asylum seekers, emphasizing that the current distribution disproportionately affects poorer communities. Speaking to GB News on Tuesday, Burnham expressed his understanding of the concerns raised by residents in Piddington, Oxfordshire, who have protested against the proposed accommodation of asylum seekers at a former military base. He assured that he would investigate the issues and address the concerns.

However, shadow home secretary Chris Philp criticized Burnham's stance, asserting that illegal immigrants should not be housed anywhere, regardless of their wealth. Philp advocated for deporting migrants to their country of origin or a safe third country, aligning with the Conservatives' policy.

Asylum support figures for March showed that there were 97,519 people receiving asylum support, with 20,885 residing in hotel accommodations. The remaining numbers were dispersed across various forms of accommodation, including 72,768 in other accommodations and 3,866 in subsistence support only.

Burnham's comments come in response to the government's plan to utilize military bases for housing asylum seekers, following the discontinuation of asylum hotels. The Home Office aims to open three more military sites across the country, with plans already announced for Bicester, Oxfordshire. However, protests have emerged in Bicester, with residents voting to stage a symbolic referendum on leaving the UK over the issue.

Burnham pledged to listen to the concerns raised by local communities and address the issues surrounding the dispersal of asylum seekers. He acknowledged the need for all parts of the country to contribute to the solution, emphasizing the importance of creating secure spaces for those in need.