Andy Burnham has joined fellow political leaders in the north of England in promising to welcome refugees from Afghanistan.
But he has urged that they be distributed fairly across the country.
In an interview with Radio 4’s Today programme on Wednesday, the Mayor of Greater Manchester said: “We of course – as always – stand ready to help and to welcome people here who need our help, but it does need to be fair to places like Greater Manchester.”
Mr Burnham also called for a more “co-ordinated approach” from government leaders.
This sentiment was echoed by his fellow mayors Steve Rotheram in Liverpool City Region, Tracy Brabin in West Yorkshire, and Dan Jarvis in South Yorkshire.
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Emphasising his call to action on BBC Radio Manchester yesterday, Mr Burnham added: “Yes we will [welcome refugees] but others need to join us in doing that because sometimes Greater Manchester’s the only one that steps forward, or one of the only few, and actually, if we’re to do this properly, I believe we need to see areas across the country coming forward to provide the places that are needed.”
He also admitted that he believes the government’s promise to take 5,000 refugees in the first year won’t be “anywhere near enough”.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester has spoken out after a recent analysis by The Guardian found that almost one in four of the UK’s asylum seekers supported by the Home Office are housed in just 10 local authorities – nine of which are among the most deprived in the UK.
They include Middlesbrough, Cardiff, Glasgow, and the Greater Manchester borough Rochdale.
The analysis shows that northern England – including the North West, North East, and Yorkshire and Humber – had taken in nearly half (42%) of all the 44,825 asylum seekers in the UK, whereas only 6.5% have been placed in areas in the south of England, excluding London.
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Mayors in the north of England said the whole country needed to support those in need as ministers draw up plans to take in 20,000 men, women and children from Afghanistan over the next five years.
Reports suggest many are expected to initially be housed at two airport hotels in Manchester.
Speaking on Tuesday, Sir Richard Leese -Leader of Manchester City Council – said: “We’re expecting planes to be landing at any moment and we’re certainly not going to turn our back on those people.
“But what we’re going to continue to do is make the case that, if we really are a caring country, we need to put the proper resources and systems in to be able to spot these people quickly, get them out of hotels and get them into homes.”
🗣️”We’re definitely not going to be refusing to take people, but we'll continue to make that case for proper support.”
@SirRichardLeese discusses the arrival of asylum seekers from Afghanistan in Greater Manchester and the need for support
MPs have called repeatedly for an overhaul of the “deeply unfair” dispersal system of refugees, which often results in those fleeing persecution being housed in areas of severe deprivation.
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Key considerations for dispersing asylum seekers are said to include the availability of private sector housing for rent, school places, local health services, and lack of resources to support asylum seekers who often have complex needs in more remote and rural areas.
The first evacuation flight carrying British nationals and Afghans arrived in the UK on Sunday, with the second touching down late on Tuesday night.
Another landed early on Wednesday morning, with more expected.
Featured Image – Sky News
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Popular pumpkin patch attraction describes ‘catastrophic’ impact of Storm Boelo
Daisy Jackson
Bates Farm, one of the most popular pumpkin patch attractions in the North West, has shared its heartbreak after Storm Boelo forced its closure on the busiest day of the season.
The Warrington-based family farm said the financial impact has been ‘honestly catastrophic’, after they had to cancel all tickets for Sunday.
Sisters Ali and Fiona Wilshaw, who run the farm, said it was simply not safe to allow members of the public onto the farm in the storm, with ‘crazy’ gusts of wind.
They later shared a video that showed their marquee was badly damaged and many footpaths turned to deep mud.
The sisters said they were ‘heartbroken’ to have to close at such a busy time, but stressed to followers that ‘your safety and our integrity will always come first’.
On Saturday, as Storm Austen and Storm Boelo chased each other across the UK, several people shared videos of themselves getting battered by the weather at Bates Farm.
And it’s pretty clear from that why Ali and Fi decided to cancel all tickets and close for the day on Sunday.
They wrote: “We have put in so much love, energy and investment putting on this event at this scale. The cost to cancel and refund everyone today on our busiest day of the season is honestly catastrophic, but business aside, your safety and our integrity will always come first.
“To think last night we were running round Tesco trying to stock up on milk and now we are in the depths of recovering the site to go again tomorrow. All emails and enquiries are being responded to as quickly as possible and we are doing our best to open up more available slots next week.
“We are being tested like never before, but pulling together in true force. Huge shout out to the whole team and Farmer Fi the absolute queen in any crisis.
“Thank you all for your patience and especially thank you to those who have sent such kind words and support, we are so grateful to have customers like you.
“We will be back tomorrow to enjoy the remaining of this tough season, we are putting in so many provisions with wood chip paths, undercover seating and an indoor barn to make your visit as enjoyable as possible. Ali & Fi.”
Anyone who had tickets to visit Bates Farm on Sunday will be refunded, and can book in for another date.
Bates Farm has safely reopened its autumnal experience and pumpkin patch today.
‘Violent’ Salford man jailed after raping two women he met on dating apps
Emily Sergeant
A man from Salford who police describe as ‘violent’ has been jailed after raping two women he met on dating apps.
Kenny Cox appeared at Manchester Crown Court for his sentencing last week (23 October) in relation to the rape of two women – one in November 2021 and one in September 2024.
The 46-year-old was arrested on 8 September 2024, charged and then remanded, before standing trial for both rapes in March 2025.
The trial, however, resulted in a hung jury, so a new trial commenced in August 2026, and Cox was then subsequently found guilty of two counts of rape and one of attempted rape.
It comes after, on 7 November 2021, one of the victims met up with Cox after connecting through a dating app. They went to a property in Salford, and after drinking alcohol together, the victim began to feel hazy and described herself as ‘feeling paralysed’ and ‘unable to move’.
It was during this time she was raped by the suspect.
After she was able to move, she left the property in a taxi and subsequently reported the incident to the police.
Cox was arrested on 14 November 2021 and bailed with stringent bail conditions not to contact the victim. But then, on 4 September 2024, he met up with a second victim, again after connecting through a dating app, and they went to a property in Salford where he raped her before she was able to leave and inform police.
Following the trial, Cox has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, with four years on licence.
He was also given an indefinite restraining order against the victims, and is subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
“I would firstly like to commend the strength of the victims in this case,” commented Detective Sergeant James Walsh, of GMP’s Salford Criminal Investigation Department. “They have gone through this trial process twice now and each time have has shown incredible courage to ensure Cox was put behind bars.
“He preyed on these women and is an violent, sexual offender.
“I hope this sentence and the subsequent sexual harm prevention order imposed gives the victims a sense of justice to help them try to move forward from this and put Kenny Cox firmly in their past where he belongs.”
The Manc -
19th August 2021 
