Prime Minister Andy Burnham: UK offering Spain ‘what help we can’ to deal with Ceuta border crisis

Andy Burnham has said he has spoken to Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sanchez and offered “what help we can” after around 60,000 migrants breached the border of its territory Ceuta in north Africa.

The Prime Minister was asked for his response to the crisis in the Spanish territory, which borders Morocco, as he attended a rally following Labour’s victory in the by-election for the Greater Manchester mayoralty on Saturday.

Burnham told reporters: “I have been in touch with the Spanish prime minister and (we are) providing what help we can.”

His brief comments come as Spain announced it was installing a new barrier stretching along the breakwater fence into the sea after around 60,000 migrants breached the border during Thursday and Friday.

Spain’s interior ministry has since said that most of those who broke into the territory from neighbouring Morocco have now returned.

Sanchez visited Ceuta on Friday, describing the border breach as “a violation of Spain’s territorial integrity”.