Kemi Badenoch Reveals Why Andy Burnham Plans to Move 1,250 Asylum Seekers Near a Quiet Village of Just 400 People and Issues Warning

Kemi Badenoch has accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of using asylum accommodation plans to punish communities that did not vote Labour.

The Conservative leader claimed Mr Burnham was copying an idea previously suggested by Nigel Farage, but targeting different areas. She said Mr Farage had proposed placing migrant detention centres in places that voted Green while protecting constituencies represented by Reform UK MPs.

According to Mrs Badenoch, Mr Burnham is now following a similar approach by planning to place large numbers of asylum seekers in quiet, middle-class towns and villages where Labour has little political support.

She said: “Burnham is essentially copying a Reform UK policy. The only difference is the target.”

Mrs Badenoch argued that both approaches were based on the same unfair idea of placing unwanted facilities in areas controlled by political opponents. She said she wanted the Conservatives to unite the country instead of dividing communities according to how they voted.

Her comments came amid growing anger over plans to house 1,250 asylum seekers at a former military base near Piddington in Oxfordshire. The nearby village reportedly has a population of only around 400, meaning the number of asylum seekers could be more than three times the size of the local population.

Residents have raised concerns because the former military site is close to homes, sports pitches and a recreation area. Some people have said their gardens are directly beside the site.

Opposition to the plan has become so strong that residents held a symbolic vote on July 4 about leaving the United Kingdom. The date was chosen to match American Independence Day and send a clear message to the Government. Around 96 per cent of those who took part reportedly supported the symbolic move.

Mrs Badenoch warned that Piddington could be only the beginning, as other towns and villages near former RAF bases may also be considered for asylum accommodation.

She said Labour’s message appeared to be that communities such as Piddington and Linton-on-Ouse in Yorkshire would simply have to accept the plans because they were not traditional Labour areas.

Critics have also accused the Government of trying to spread the pressure caused by asylum accommodation into wealthier areas, suburbs and rural communities. They argue that moving asylum seekers around the country does not solve the main problem and say people with no legal right to remain in Britain should instead be removed.

Reports have suggested that the Home Office eventually wants to house around 40,000 asylum seekers across southern England, including the South East, South West, East of England and London.

Home Office minister Anna Turley defended the wider approach. She said areas with cheaper and more available housing had previously been expected to accept more than their fair share of asylum seekers.

According to Ms Turley, this placed serious pressure on local services and contributed to anger and unrest. She said the Government wanted to manage the asylum system more fairly and reduce the burden on individual communities.

Mr Burnham made a similar argument during an interview with GB News. He said the poorest parts of the country should not be expected to receive most refugees and asylum seekers while wealthier places take very few.

He said every part of Britain needed to play a role, although he admitted that the issue was difficult.

However, Mrs Badenoch warned that the policy could have serious consequences. She said it was unreasonable to expect a small village of around 400 residents to accept a nearby centre holding 1,250 asylum seekers without giving local people a meaningful say.

She also spoke about her experience as an MP in Essex, where the Bell Hotel in Epping was reopened for use as asylum accommodation after previously being closed by the Conservatives.

Mrs Badenoch said her concerns became more serious following a reported sexual assault involving one of the migrants. She said she had spoken to parents who were frightened about the safety of their children and worried about the effect on their community.

She argued that no town or village should suddenly be forced to accept hundreds of new arrivals without proper planning, consultation or support for local services.

Almost 70,000 asylum seekers are currently living in dispersal accommodation across the country, including houses, flats and bedsits. The growing number has increased pressure on the Government to find more places while also responding to concerns from residents and councils.