Labour Critiques Asylum Backlog Amid Sunak's Boat Plan
- The UK Labour party criticizes the increasing asylum backlog despite Rishi Sunak's plan.
- Conservatives defend their small boats plan, while Labour highlights the asylum seekers' plight.
- The clash between parties intensifies over the handling of asylum claims in the UK.
The UK’s asylum backlog has increased in 2024, according to recent statistics, contradicting commitments made by the previous government to reduce these numbers. The Home Office reported a significant drop in asylum decisions leading up to the July general election, with only 15,965 applications processed in the second quarter, down from 24,348 in the first quarter. Notably, June saw just 1,150 asylum interviews, a stark decline from over 8,000 in October 2022. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had vowed to eliminate the backlog as part of a strategy to curb illegal immigration. However, experts suggest that the government's focus on the controversial Rwanda plan may have hindered progress. Peter Walsh from the University of Oxford's Migration Observatory noted that the government’s hesitance to process claims under the Illegal Migration Act has contributed to the stagnation of the backlog, which includes 1,891 legacy applications still awaiting decisions. Labour has criticized the growing backlog, pledging to expedite claim processing to either remove individuals without legal rights or allow others to integrate into society. Meanwhile, the data indicates a decline in net migration, with a 26% reduction in visas granted to health workers and an 81% drop in visas for dependants of overseas students since June 2023. Despite a decrease in small boat crossings and an increase in enforced returns, the overall asylum situation remains precarious. As the political landscape shifts, Labour aims to capitalize on the previous government's failures, while Sunak reflects on the implications of his policies as his successor appears to benefit from the current circumstances.