To agree with Andy Burnham that it’s about time the middle classes took their fair share

[Morningteacup2]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/08/11/burnham-middle-class-areas-must-take-more-hotel-migrants/

Not a huge fan of Labour I must say, but this is well overdue!

Was there speculation of Burnham having a snap election? Bring it on, PLEASE! The sooner we are rid of this goon the better.

The middle classes are the backbone of this nation and I am proud to be one of them.

What’s actually happening @EnglishRose26 is that those of us with any sense - clearly I have none - are refusing to engage with the stench that’s emanating from this thread. It’s one of the most disgusting demonstrations of xenophobia I’ve seen in my 73 years on this planet and I’m only grateful that all of you here represent a distinct minority of opinion.

Working class roots, but according to the internet I'm middle class.

I'm in a middle class area that borders on an area of social deprivation.

61% White British.

I've read half the posts here and wondering if anyone listened to the BBC Sounds doc "To catch a king" which is a very detailed account of how small boat crossings work.

I genuinely believed they were desperate people escaping persecution and in fear of their life. Now I know there are ruthless gangs making millions from promising people from impoverished countries a better life. I.e. they're mostly economic immigrants from very poor backgrounds. The crossings are obviously dangerous, done on the cheap despite being charged thoisands of pounds so many die.

Sometimes children and woman cross but it is mostly young men and their families raise the money by any means in the hope of securing a better life. TBH the main winners are the gang leaders.

France don't have enough resource to stop this and the issue got worse after Brexit when international cooperation decreased.

It's an interesting listen for those, like me, who made assumptions and had questions.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m002wlfn?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Do you not think maybe just maybe the EU would be biased about this

Is it Xenophobic to not want any more criminals breaking into our country illegally? The moment they land they have committed their first crime. The shouldn’t be here. I doubt their own countries would be so accommodating if we went there?

What makes you think it’s a minority?

Why don't the French have enough resources?
The UK government are paying them enough.

I will bite again msjinks

We have entire networks of thousands of people traffickers shipping people here through all channels, not just 'the boats'. They are providing a full service including advice about the legal loop holes, and other ways to gain full rights to remain. They have a high success rate, it is amazing how many of them just happen to be persecuted gay/trans men for a while at least.

Additionally, we have millions of 'students' and their families that have stayed here beyond their visa requirements, and have no intention of going home.

You can legally run a 'cash only' car wash and 'employ' people to work there from anywhere with visas, and they last a week and move on - don't you wonder what happens to them all?

The statistics as you well know, are grossly underestimating the number of people living here illegally.

It is an absolute disgrace.

Or so you are reading Blossom, just sitting in the shadows. Thought as much.

This is not true. Labour is (very) slowly ending the use of hotels not increasing their use. They have announced they will be ending use of a several hotels including one in Blackpool, one of the most deprived areas in the UK. What we are seeing is increasing use of private housing.

This is beyond a joke now. The fact this country seems completely unable to control their borders and the illegal migration continuing daily is just unsustainable. They aren’t fleeing war - they are trying to gain a better life - a home and benefits. They literally do not need to work when they get here - is this fair at all on tax payers?

No wonder they come across - all they need to do is get here and we put them up in a hotel.

Many people do have a problem with the level of legal migration. Our own young people can’t get jobs, wages are pushed down, housing is extortionately expensive, and our country is being transformed at an alarming rate.

Put migrants in middle class areas = give them even more expensive free housing. We can’t afford this! Our own kids can’t afford homes.

I doubt they are. Based on what I heard in the doc, they would need to expand the number of people.in the French police forces exponentially.

That said, they didn't answer your specific question in the doc so I don't know.

I do know that there was evidence of the French police tampering with the dinghies so they didn't work and the gangs used them anyway (and some people drowned) and evidence of the police turning a blind eye.

Can’t laugh any harder at this

Are you saying you’re happy for thousands of undocumented “asylum seeker” men to be housed around the country as ling as it’s not in middle class areas?

Obviously more free housing is a massive pull factor for this illegal trade.

Next thing he'll ask everyone to vacate their homes and stop being so selfish.

Not at all.

Thanks. I don't know if you saw those pictures of the huge dinghy - more than 200 people? It took some time to leave French waters and I do wonder if the French police suspect that some of them have guns or other weapons? I also suspect that taking action once people are on board could result in tragedy.
However, there has to be a better situation than this.

The reason why this is NOT A race issue, and never was, is simple.

The British collectively, of all colours and ethnicities, have had enough!

It is not an issue of colour, although the left seem to have latched on (with their usual ignorance) to the idea that black British people are somehow 'different' that they are somehow completely fine with millions of illegal men dwelling in their country. I am staggered by the inherent racism that comes from the left, that it is only WHITE people that are pissed off! It simply is not true!

I think its a great idea as long as they turn a load of houses on Andys road into HMOs and fill them with illegal men who hang around schools smoking weed and following girls around. Not forgetting taking a dump in the street., just like it is round our way. C'mon Andy, get cracking with it

Yes, the Boriswave numbers were an absolute disaster, and while they've dropped percentage wise now, they still represent hundreds of thousands of new arrivals annually so the total is still rising.

I will say my issue is with migration not the migrants. Anyone who has arrived legally and breaks no laws is just doing what anyone would to give themselves and their families better opportunities.
It's the politicians and policy-makers who are to blame.

Isn’t he already hinting at this with high property taxes on anyone with a decent house in the South? He doesn’t seem to like anyone achieving anything for themself.

the doc did.say this too, the reason they're coming to Britian is because they're given homes... a quote from an Iranian in the doc "Would we be given a free house in Iran? No!"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m002wlfn?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile