Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for wealthier regions in the UK to accommodate more asylum seekers, emphasizing that the burden should not fall solely on poorer communities. His remarks followed protests in Piddington, Oxfordshire, regarding plans to house asylum seekers at a former military base nearby.
Burnham's comments come amid ongoing discussions about the government's strategy to use military sites for asylum accommodation, as Labour aims to end the use of hotels for this purpose. The Home Office has reported significant numbers of asylum seekers across various regions, with the north-west and north-east having the highest proportions relative to their populations.