More than 3,000 migrants in just 22 days: Burnham's small boats policy 'in tatters' as number to have arrived under Labour tops 80,000
Middle class areas will have to take in more migrants, Andy Burnham said on Tuesday.The Prime Minister said he would make sure arrivals were not only placed in the 'poorest communities'.'All parts of the country need to play their part,' Mr Burnham added. His vow that more affluent families would have to accept asylum seekers near their homes came as the number of Channel crossings under his premiership passed the 3,000 mark.Official Home Office figures confirmed that 230 people were aboard the record 'mega-dinghy' that was brought into Dover on Monday.That pushed the total since Labour came to power – beginning with the day after the General Election in July 2024 – past the 80,000 mark.In comparison with Mr Burnham, Keir Starmer's first 22 days as PM saw 2,258 small-boat migrants reach Britain. When pressed on where asylum seekers would be housed, the Prime Minister said wealthier parts of the UK would need to 'play their part'.Mr Burnham was asked on GB News about a 1,200-strong migrant camp being set up near the Oxfordshire village of Piddington, which locals fear would overwhelm the population of 400. Around 30 migrants floating in the Channel after being flung from the mega-dinghy (left) A dramatic photo released by the French lifeboat service showed the boat almost sinking The boat after it carried on its journey with a record-breaking 160 migrants onboard Migrants run towards the beach to board the dinghy at a beach in northern France on Tuesday
He said: 'I will listen to what people are saying and respond to the concerns that they are putting forward.'I don't know the issue yet in detail, but in some ways, as I understand it, it is about creating secure space.'He added: 'It's obviously going to be challenging, but I am prepared always to listen to people, to work with people and to pick up legitimate concerns, and I will address those concerns.'I do have to say, we cannot have a situation where it's only the poorest communities in the country that receive all of the dispersal of refugees and asylum seekers. I do believe all parts of the country need to work, to play their part.'We understand people's concerns and I will look into the issues raised by the good people of Piddington.'Asylum hotels have been the cause of several flash points around the country in recent years. Last week, 15 people were arrested during trouble in Thetford, Norfolk, after anti-immigration protesters demonstrated outside homes they believed housed asylum seekers.Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: 'Andy Burnham is planning to dish out another vindictive punishment beating to the UK's middle classes. 'Labour has hammered hard-working families with punitive tax increases galore, increased regulation and soaring energy bills.'Now, Burnham plans to deliberately flood more neighbourhoods with thousands of illegal immigrants who he has let into this country, and many of whom will commit serious crimes including rape and murder.'Just two weeks after he insisted Labour's boats plan was working, the Prime Minister vowed to 'change our tactics' to tackle the gangs bringing migrants across the Channel.Referring to pictures of the latest mega-dinghy, Mr Burnham added: 'I know people will have been worried to see that image yesterday (Tuesday). 'It shows that the gangs are changing their tactics but so will we – we will now change our tactics and we will be relentless in chasing them down. I said that when I visited Dover just over a week ago and I meant it.'But Mr Philp warned: 'We now have a full-blown Burnham borders crisis. Unvetted illegal immigrants – mainly young males – flood across the Channel every day there are calm seas.'Andy Burnham's claim to have a working plan lies in tatters.'Monday's record-breaking mega-dinghy brought more people to Britain than a typical Ryanair flight. The boat was originally carrying more than 260 passengers, including children, when it almost sank.Join the discussionWhat should Britain do to stop dangerous migrant crossings and hold smugglers accountable? Andy Burnham - pictured on Tuesday during a TV interview at The Hub Cafe in Derbyshire The confirmed 230 arrivals - pictured - is more than the typical capacity of a Boeing 737 jet
On Sunday French police did nothing more than watch as a baby and toddlers were carried on to a dinghy to EnglandWhen the overloaded boat – which was designed for a maximum of 40 – was battered by choppy waters, at least 30 people were thrown into the waters off the northern French coast.One shocking image showed them in the sea before they were rescued by French police and gendarmes, who have a controversial policy of not intercepting most small boats in the water because they claim it could endanger those on board.French lifeboatmen on Tuesday described how scores of men, women and children packed on to the Chinese-made PVC boat on a beach between Berck-sur-Mer and Merlimont, south of Le Touquet, on Sunday afternoon.A spokesman for the SNSM – France's equivalent of the RNLI – said all had been hiding in sand dunes after paying people smugglers for a passage.He said: 'A veritable tide then rushed the 15-metre (49ft) boat. Due to overloading, several were thrown from the vessel – around 30 ended up in the water as the craft continued on its way.'The picture released by the SNSM at Berck shows dozens of mainly young men floundering in the Channel, following the initial boarding soon after 5pm.Jean-Marc Lamblin, director of the SNSM's Berck-sur-Mer branch, said he was seeing ever-larger boats being used by smuggling gangs and there was 'no limit' to how many people they would cram on board.'Over the past three months, we've been seeing more and more 15-metre boats,' he said. 'There really is no limit now'. A deflated dinghy is seen on the quayside in Dover, Kent after a record 230 migrants arrived after crossing the Channel
Life jackets for sale at the French sports superstore Decathlon in DunkirkThe dinghy was 7ft larger than vessels which set previous records last month, and more than 10ft longer than a standard double-decker bus.Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said that illegal arrivals were 'out of control'.He posted on social media on Tuesday: '230 migrants landed on our shores yesterday (Tuesday). This is a national security emergency.'The mega-dinghy was eventually escorted to England by the UK Border Force, HM Coastguard and the RNLI, beating the previous record of 165 migrants who reached Britain on a single boat in July. Last week, 173 people were packed on to a single boat but it disintegrated off the French coast after catching fire. Everyone on board was rescued.The Egyptian people smuggler who piloted the boat has been sentenced to a year in jail following a fast-track trial on Friday.
