Labour admits tiny fraction of illegal migrants can be kept in barracks amid fury over 'vindictive' HMO plans
Only a tiny fraction of illegal migrants can be kept in barracks despite Labour's push to use the sites to house asylum seekers, a minister has admitted to GB News.
The scheme aims to phase out the reliance on the costly taxpayer-funded hotels by 2029.
Anna Turley, the Home Office minister, told the People's Channel new sites will provide an additional 1,500 places for asylum seekers.
However, the figure only amounts to around two per cent of the approximately 72,700 people in the UK asylum system who are housed in non-hotel categories.
Ms Turley said: "We're trying to make sure we're using accommodation that is secure. That is appropriate. That puts less strain on the communities and reduces the costs that we saw for hotels.
"The public asked us to reduce the number of hotels. We want to make sure that we've got a sustained system, whilst crucially, at the same time not just reducing the numbers of people that are in the system claiming asylum, but reducing the numbers of people that are coming here in the first place to try and evade our immigration laws."
Andy Burnham, who yesterday spoke Britain's News Channel for the first time since becoming Prime Minister, said Labour cannot commit to ending the small boats crisis by the next general election, claiming it would be wrong to say English Channel crossings would end by the end of this Parliament.
He insisted his party remains focused on tackling the issue and still intends to "eradicate" the problem.
Mr Burnham said: "It would be wrong, I think, for me to make a prediction now based on a timeline."
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Andy Burnham calls emergency Cobra meeting as Britain faces wildfires and 'extreme heat' warning
Andy Burnham will chair a meeting of the Government’s emergency Cobra committee today in response to extreme heat, which has caused widespread wildfires and plunged many parts of the country into drought.
The Prime Minister will meet with officials and agencies today afternoon as high temperatures continue across the UK, with 33C forecast and up to 38C tomorrow.
Ministers from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Home Office, and Department for Health will attend.
The Environment Agency will also be present.
This is the second Cobra meeting this year on heatwaves, after a meeting in June.
A No 10 spokesman said: "The Prime Minister will chair a meeting of COBR - the government emergency committee - this afternoon on the UK’s ongoing response to extreme heat, wildfires and drought.
"We know how challenging this summer is proving, particularly for firefighters tackling wildfires, farmers working in drought conditions, and NHS staff in busy A&E units.
"We will continue to take the action needed to keep communities safe, protect water supplies and safeguard the environment."
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