Prime Minister Andy Burnham has faced strong criticism after saying middle-class families should “play their part” by accepting asylum seeker accommodation near their homes.
Burnham argued that asylum seekers should not always be housed in the country’s poorest communities. He said wealthier towns, villages and rural areas should also accept some of the responsibility.
His comments came as plans were discussed to house as many as 1,250 male asylum seekers at a former Ministry of Defence site near Piddington in Oxfordshire. The village itself has a population of only around 400 people, so local residents fear the proposed centre would have a major impact on their small community.
The controversy also comes after more than 3,000 people crossed the English Channel in small boats since Burnham became Prime Minister. On Monday, August 10, a large boat carrying 230 people reached Britain, setting a new record for the number of people arriving in a single vessel.
TalkTV presenter Ian Collins strongly criticised Burnham’s comments. He said the Prime Minister was making the situation sound like a national effort in which every community must do its part. However, Collins questioned why ordinary families should be expected to deal with a problem he believes was created by the Government’s failure to control the border.
Former Conservative MP Nigel Collins also attacked the Prime Minister’s approach. He said the Government should focus on stopping the boats instead of asking more towns and villages to provide accommodation.
He argued that many rural communities do not have enough facilities, public services or infrastructure to support hundreds or thousands of additional people. Using Piddington as an example, he said placing 1,250 asylum seekers near a village of around 400 residents would effectively treble the local population overnight.
According to him, residents have become so frustrated that they have even discussed holding their own small referendum to separate from the United Kingdom. He said this showed how strongly local people feel that the Government is refusing to take responsibility.
Nigel Collins said years of government inaction had allowed the problem to grow. Instead of dealing with what he called the main issue—preventing boats from crossing the Channel—he said ministers were now concentrating on finding places to house the increasing number of arrivals.
He also criticised Burnham for repeatedly saying that the number of small boats is falling. Collins argued that even if fewer boats are arriving, the vessels are becoming larger and carrying more passengers.
He warned that more than 3,000 people have crossed the Channel since Burnham entered Downing Street, creating costs worth millions of pounds for British taxpayers.
Collins said the Government should stop telling middle-class families and rural communities that they must accept asylum seeker accommodation. He argued that ministers should instead hold an emergency COBRA meeting to focus on stopping dangerous Channel crossings.
He described the situation as a serious national emergency that affects communities and taxpayers across the United Kingdom.
