LONDON—British Prime Minister Andy Burnham defended the
policy of distributing asylum seekers across different regions of the United
Kingdom, following strong opposition in the small town of Piddington,
Oxfordshire, where authorities are considering housing up to 1,250 male asylum
seekers in a nearby former military installation.
Piddington, a town of approximately 350 to 400 inhabitants,
has expressed its rejection of the plan, and its residents even held a symbolic
vote to declare their intention to secede from the United Kingdom in protest
against the government's plan.
In response to the criticism, Burnham stated that he cannot
allow the poorest communities to bear the brunt of the asylum seekers.
"We cannot have a situation where only the poorest
communities in the country receive the entire dispersal of refugees and asylum
seekers," the Prime Minister declared. He also maintained that all regions
of the country must "work" and "do their part."
The plan is part of the British government's strategy to
gradually reduce the use of hotels for asylum seekers and replace them with more
economical facilities, including former military bases and other repurposed
spaces. The government argues that this measure will reduce costs and
distribute responsibility more equitably among different communities, as it
does not intend to continue receiving migrants, despite public opposition.