The Government is pushing ahead with plans to house 1,250 male asylum seekers in the village of Piddington, which has a population of 400. Home Office Minister Anna Turley said she would look into community issues, but residents' concerns about the numbers, safety, and the use of emergency powers were overlooked.
Burnham's defence
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has defended the initiative, arguing that wealthy and middle-class postcodes must share the responsibility of housing refugees, rather than leaving it to the poorest communities, even though it will be more expensive for taxpayers.
Writing in a column, Esther McVey says Burnham's intervention missed the point completely. The public want asylum seekers who arrive illegally to be detained and deported immediately, not comfortably housed across the UK.
Other issues
McVey also comments on university education, noting that the Institute of Fiscal Studies found one in four graduates would be financially worse off after university. She suggests degree apprenticeships or getting a job after school as alternatives.
On the weather, McVey says she has been enjoying the hot weather and mentions the Met Office's forecast of a possible sixth heatwave next month.
Rail renationalisation
McVey criticises the renationalisation of railways, pointing out that South Western Railway services have fewer carriages than under private ownership. Avanti West Coast is to be renationalised next spring, with around 30 services lost each week. She notes the contradiction of reducing services while citing capacity issues as a reason for HS2.
