Labour has criticised the government's asylum backlog pledge, noting that the number of caseworkers has fallen by 13% since the promise was made. The party claims this undermines Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's commitment to clear the backlog of initial asylum decisions by the end of next year.
Downing Street clarified that the pledge only applies to claims made before 28 June, when the Nationality and Borders Act came into force. This covers 92,601 initial asylum claims, not the entire backlog of 117,000 cases.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the pledge was 'already falling apart just hours after he made it'. Labour has called for more robust action to address the asylum backlog and small boat crossings.
The government plans to set up a dedicated unit of 400 specialists to handle claims from Albanians, who now make up 35% of Channel arrivals. New guidance will make clear that Albania is a safe country, allowing many claims to be declared 'clearly unfounded'.
Refugee charities have branded the plans 'cruel' and 'ineffective'. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer dismissed the proposals as 'unworkable gimmicks', while welcoming the announcement of additional staff.
