Andy Burnham names historic Blackpool site in 13 latest asylum hotels closuresThe new Prime Minister's government has continued the policy of closing asylum seeker hotels, and has named a historic landmark in BlackpoolView 2 Images The Grand Metropole Hotel in BlackpoolAndy Burnham's government has named a historic Blackpool hotel as one of the latest facilities housing asylum seekers to close. ‌The government says it has closed a nother 13 hotels housing asylum seekers, a process which began when Keir Starmer was Prime Minister and one that is continuing under the former Greater Manchester mayor's premiership. Ministers are increasing their use of more “basic” sites including former military barracks, having pledged to stop using asylum hotels completely by the next election. “We are turning that around by ending the use of asylum hotels for good and moving people into larger, basic accommodation like former military sites. Shabana Mahmood stayed on as Home Secretary when Mr Burnham took over from Sir Keir Starmer, and there is no indication of a change of approach to asylum hotels.