The immigration and asylum tribunal backlog has surged to a record 156,000 cases, according to Ministry of Justice figures. The number of appeals waiting to be heard has risen by 48%, intensifying Labour's migrant crisis.
Record backlog and delays
The first-tier tribunal responsible for immigration and asylum cases now has some 156,000 cases pending. The length of time taken to close a case has also increased sharply, reaching 65 weeks.
Andy Burnham and Shabana Mahmood are among those grappling with the growing backlog, which has prompted renewed concerns that ministers will be unable to remove tens of thousands of failed asylum seekers, national security threats and foreign criminals.
Impact on removals
The delays have raised fears about the government's ability to process removals effectively. The figures highlight the scale of the challenge facing the tribunal system as it deals with a rising number of appeals.
This is a breaking story, with more details expected to follow.
