Asylum and immigration remain a core issue in the UK, with the former government saying that it has overspent a great deal. Here’s more on that story.
Money Overspent
According to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the previous government has reportedly overspent around £6.4 billion in asylum seeker costs. She also noted that it added a big chunk to the £22 billion black hole the country grappled with.
What Is the Average Budget?
The average budget set for border operations and asylum seekers is said to be £2.6 billion per year. Still, the former government had spent nearly four times more than they should.
Conservative Government Covered Their Mess & Ran
The Chancellor accused the Conservatives, saying they knowingly spent the funds from other departments. At the same time, they’ve covered it up and called an early election to “run away” from the problem.
Labour Is Left With the Crises
As a result, the Labour government is now left to “fix” the messes and “repair the foundations,” as Sir Keir Starmer mentioned in previous speeches.
Ex-Scottish MP Takes a Strike at Reeves
Ruth Davidson, a former Scottish MP, commented on Beth Rigby’s podcast that Rachel Reeves’ not knowing about the £22 billion black hole was “laughable.” She took another jab at the Chancellor, saying that Reeves was trying to “build a political narritive.”
Less Asylum Spending Than Before
According to BBC News, reports suggest that asylum spending came to nearly £400 million in the previous three years, far from the current expenses.
More Funding for Asylum Seekers
The government is said to have put more money into special visa and resettlement schemes tailored for Afghan and Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers.
Conservatives Say They Were Always Transparent
According to reports, the Tories have firmly denied hiding anything about public finances and have always been open about such expenditures. The new government has vowed to improve the asylum seeker system and to process everyone as swiftly and fairly as possible.
Something Isn’t Right
A research economist, Max Warner, said it would be perfectly fine if the government used a large sum of money as a once-off on something urgent. However, when billions of dollars are lost in consecutive years, something must surely be fixed.
Spending More Than There Is
According to the Independent, the Home Affairs Select Committee has previously reprimanded the former Conservative government.
Why the Reprimands?
Reports say the former government would continuously need additional funding late in the financial year, “expecting a top-up from the Treasury Contingency Reserves.”
A Blame Game?
It’s not the first time that Rachel Reeves and former Chancellor Jeremy Hunt have butt heads on country expenditure and what the Tories had left Labour with. In a previous spat, the Guardian reports what the two had said about the state of the finances.
Reeves Accuses Hunt
Reeves said that Jeremy Hunt covered the expenses and lied about it. She accused the old government of having made commitments with no funding allocated and that they also lied during the election campaign.
Hunt Clapped Back
Hunt accused Reeves, saying she created the £21.9 billion black hole story as an “excuse to raise taxes.” Hunt had also said Reeves knew the state of the finances because she was the Shadow Chancellor and privy to information.
Saving a Little by Scrapping Rwanda Scheme?
Treasury is said to have topped Home Office with £1.5 billion this year. However, the current Home Office has already clarified that this would not be enough to support asylum seekers. Reports suggest that the government saved an estimated £800 million by ditching the Rwanda Scheme.
New Initiatives
The Labour Government used the funds from the Rwuanda scheme to establish the new Border Security Command or BSC. BSC would be at the forefront of tackling small boats crossing the English Channel.
Working With the Best
Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, noted that the BSC would work closely with the National Crime Agency (NCA), Immigration Enforcement, and Border Force.
Possibility of No Funds When Needed
Warner also said that despite the lack of funds, it seemed that the former government could possibly have already used this year’s reserve monies. In other words, this could mean that funds may not be available should the Labour government need it in an emergency.
Making Progress With Immigration
The Prime Minister has said in his speech after meeting with Germany that the UK wants to work with the EU, starting by building relationships. The treaty created between UK-Germany will also focus on security strategy and tackling immigration concerns.
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