Conservative minister Kemi Badenoch has accused Prime Minister Andy Burnham of implementing a migrant housing plan that constitutes "spiteful class warfare," suggesting the policy targets residents in areas perceived as non-Labour supporters.
Badenoch asserted that Burnham believes individuals in "quaint villages" do not support his party and therefore must accept the arrival of hundreds of men who have crossed the English Channel in dinghies. She drew a parallel between this approach and a Reform UK proposal to place detention centers in constituencies with Green Party MPs, labeling Burnham's principle as "rotten."
Despite Burnham's "more upbeat" public demeanor, Badenoch stated he operates with the "same spiteful class-warfare Labour Party" as his predecessor, Keir Starmer.
These remarks follow the Prime Minister's defense of a plan to establish a camp for 1,250 male asylum seekers on a former military site near Piddington, a village in Oxfordshire with a population of 400. The constituency is represented by a Liberal Democrat MP.
The government is also reportedly planning to house a similar number of migrants at the disused RAF Linton-on-Ouse, located within a constituency held by the Conservative Party.
Burnham has previously stated that "middle England" must accommodate more migrants, arguing against a situation where "only the poorest communities in the country receive all of the dispersal of refugees and asylum seekers." He is reportedly determined to alter the current system, which often places asylum seekers in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in deprived English towns, even if it incurs higher costs to implement fairly.
Home Office minister Anna Turley acknowledged that housing asylum seekers in areas with "cheaper" housing has previously "created real civil unrest."
In a statement, Badenoch wrote that Burnham's policy was political. "He won't like me pointing this out, but Burnham is essentially copying a Reform UK policy, his only difference being the target," she said. "In May, Nigel Farage proposed putting migrant-detention centres in Green-voting areas, while sparing places that elected Reform MPs. Burnham has chosen to put illegal migrants in quiet middle-class villages that don't vote Labour. Same rotten principle."
She added, "The message from Burnham's Labour is clear: the people of Piddington, or Linton-on-Ouse in Yorkshire, or various other quaint villages near RAF bases, aren't Labour people, so they are just going to have to lump it."
A Labour Member of Parliament, Rachael Maskell, has voiced opposition to the migrant camp proposal in Linton-on-Ouse. She highlighted that the plan would create a ratio of six men to every woman in the village of 600 residents. Maskell also pointed out the base's proximity to a primary school and nursery, and its limited public transport links.
A Labour source responded to Badenoch's criticism by stating, "This takes some brass neck from the party who lost control of illegal migration and put 56,000 asylum seekers in 400 hotels, costing the British people £9 million a day."
A government spokesperson confirmed that all asylum hotels are being closed and asylum seekers are being moved into basic accommodation, including former military sites. The spokesperson noted that the total number of asylum seekers in accommodation is decreasing, with a 35 percent reduction in hotel use over the past year. Asylum costs have reportedly fallen by £1 billion under the current government. The government is working to house asylum seekers fairly across the country, collaborating with local authorities and considering community concerns to minimize impact.