Let more in from Calais – Burnham

ANDY Burnham has called for Britain to accept more migrants from Calais, saying it is wrong not to share the burden with nations such as Greece and Italy.

The Labour leadership candidate said it would strengthen Britain’s hand in the European referendum negotiations. Mr Burnham, more than any other candidate, has drawn attention to voters’ concerns over immigration during the contest.

He had accused Labour Party activists of ‘avoiding people’s eyes on the doorstep, shuffling uncomfortably and trying to get away’ when the topic of immigration is brought up, and said that many Ukip voters’ concerns are about ‘fairness’.

But he said taking more migrants from Calais would help in talks with EU leaders over controlling economic migration.

He said: ‘ What we have got is no one taking ownership of the problem. It is wrong to let Greece and Italy shoulder an enormous burden. Germany and Scandinavia are taking far more than we are – we can’t just say it is everyone else’s problem and not ours, we have got to play our part.

‘If we were to do that, we might get more of what we want to negotiate on EU migration.’

Tory MP Andrew Mitchell, the former international development secretary, said Mr Burnham’s suggestion was ‘not a long-term solution’.

He added: ‘There is an issue here of what is acceptable in Britain. In Britain, we make our contribution with enormous humanitarian relief, up to £1billion… more than all the other European countries put together.’

Jeremy Corbyn is also in favour of taking more migrants, and Yvette Cooper, as shadow home secretary, has argued Britain should take more Syrian refugees and called for asylum seekers not to be included in immigration targets.

Germany expects 800,000 asylum applications this year.