Andy Burnham says that middle class areas should "play their part" and accept asylum seekers in their area.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called for middle-class and wealthier communities across the UK to accept a greater share of asylum seeker accommodation, arguing that the current system unfairly burdens the country’s poorest areas.

In his first interview with GB News since taking office, Burnham stated: “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. It’s a challenging issue. We’re working at it. We understand people’s concerns.”

The comments come amid growing local resistance to asylum housing plans, most notably in the small Oxfordshire village of Piddington. Residents there are opposing proposals to house around 1,250 single adult male asylum seekers at the nearby MoD Bicester site — a number that would more than triple the village’s population of roughly 360–400 people.

Piddington, an affluent area with average house prices significantly above the national average, has staged high-profile protests. Villagers held a symbolic referendum on “independence” that passed with 96% support, organised community picnics, and saw local children write personal letters to the Prime Minister expressing fears about changes to village life, including access to parks and family graves.

Burnham acknowledged the Piddington campaign, saying he had “begun to become aware” of it and would “listen to what people are saying and respond to the concerns.” He described the proposed site as potentially offering a more secure alternative to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) that have proliferated in working-class areas. However, he stopped short of committing to halt the plan.

The Prime Minister has long criticised the Home Office practice of concentrating asylum accommodation in lower-cost housing areas, which tend to be more deprived. Data has previously shown the North West hosting a disproportionately high share of asylum seekers. Burnham, whose own former constituency of Makerfield has seen a sharp rise in HMOs used for asylum housing, has campaigned against the overuse of hotels and shared housing in such communities.

He is reportedly examining options to end the outsourcing of asylum accommodation to private contractors and reduce reliance on hotels, which cost the taxpayer more than £2 billion in a recent year. Officials have also looked at converting former military sites to ease pressure and cut costs.

The remarks have already drawn strong reactions. On TalkTV, presenters described the prospect of placing more asylum seekers in “Middle England” as potentially radicalising for many voters. Critics argue the policy risks spreading discontent to previously less-affected areas, while supporters see it as a necessary step toward fairer national burden-sharing.

Burnham has not committed to stopping small boat crossings by the next election and continues to emphasise both deterrence measures and the need for all regions — including the South East, South West, and more affluent parts of the country — to contribute. The debate highlights ongoing tensions over how Britain manages asylum dispersal at a time when local communities increasingly demand greater consultation and control.