Andy Burnham’s plan to rip up multi-billion-pound asylum hotel contracts and make councils house migrants is potentially unworkable, experts, insiders and Labour MPs have warned.
If he becomes prime minister, the Labour leadership contender is said to be planning to trigger break clauses in 10-year accommodation contracts that are due to expire in 2029, in order to end the use of hotels.
He plans to shift the responsibility for finding accommodation to local authorities, with asylum seekers to be placed in temporary housing such as bedsits and houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
Shorts
The policy proposal is the latest to be floated by allies of Burnham, who is currently Mayor of Greater Manchester. He is hoping he can win the Makerfield by-election on 18 June, to become an MP and use his victory as a springboard to toppling Sir Keir Starmer and replacing him.
