Rishi Sunak did something unusual today. Not the ‘sounding tough on immigration’ thing that politicians of all stripes do, with varying degrees of enthusiasm. He volunteered a target and a date.
Addressing the House of Commons this afternoon on the issue of migration, the prime minister committed to clearing the backlog of initial asylum decisions by the end of 2023.
The key measures from the statement were many and included:
- A new agreement with Albania to return people to the country, including UK Border Force officers embedded in Tirana airport
- “Significantly” raising the threshold someone has to meet before being considered trafficked as a slave under the Modern Slavery Act
- A new "small boats operation command" to integrate military, civilian officials and the National Crime Agency (NCA) to work together on intelligence, interception and enforcement
- More than 700 new staff and a doubling of funding to the NCA to counter organised immigration crime
- Ending the "frankly absurd" situation where "illegal migrants" can open bank accounts
- Reducing the £5.5m daily hotel bill by using surplus military bases and former student halls of residence to find accommodation
- A recommitment to the policy of sending asylum applicants to Rwanda once the legal process is resolved
- Parliament to set an annual quota for refugees to enter the UK via safe and legal routes
Whatever your point of view, what is clear is that the backlog in applications has exploded. For those interested in how it has grown, how the UK compares with other countries and plenty else, check out this invaluable explainer from the Institute for Government.
But one element that immediately stands out is the plan to water down the Modern Slavery Act, or “remove the gold plating” as the prime minister put it. The Act was introduced and championed by then-Home Secretary Theresa May in 2015.
Speaking in the Commons, May, who is making a habit of pointed questions to her successors as prime minister, noted that modern slavery is a “very real and current threat with too many people brought to this country into slavery” and that Britain “must do nothing to diminish our world-leading protections for the victims of this terrible horrific crime”. Worth watching for the full force.
I won’t pretend to be anywhere near an expert in this area, but Modern Slavery legislation has become embedded in our laws and protects British children who are the victims of county lines gangs as well as child sexual exploitation, a point made here by the Labour MP Holly Lynch.
The reality is that today’s statement was mainly aimed at stopping small boat crossings. While growing, these still represent only a small proportion of migration figures, but crucially they are the most visible. And Sunak rightly fears a political pincer movement, as both Labour and Reform nip at Tory heels on the issue. Looking as if you do not ‘control’ the border is bad for any government, let alone one packed with people who urged us to ‘take back control’.
In the comment pages, Nimco Ali reveals why she quit as an adviser to Suella Braverman’s Home Office. Jonathan Prynn pities the Bank of England rate-setters facing an unenviable task this week as economic indicators send mixed messages.
While Robbie Smith is so over the office Christmas party haters and proffers a nugget of advice: never join a conversation without knowing how you’ll get out of it.
And finally, every London restaurant you need to try in 2023. Joanna Taylor is very excited about nine new openings next year — and thinks you should be, too.
