Labour has been accused of “encouraging illegal migrants to disappear in Britain” after the Home Office revealed that more than 93,000 have been housed in accommodation across the country at taxpayers’ expense.
The new data showed over 73,000 migrants were housed in “non-hotel accommodation” in the 12 months leading up to June 2026.
The figure is three per cent higher than at the end of June 2025 and makes up 78 per cent of all asylum seekers in the UK.
Around 17 per cent of asylum seekers remain in hotel accommodation.
Chris Philp MP, Shadow Home Secretary, response to asylum accommodation release: “Labour are moving illegal immigrants out of hotels and into flats in your building, and now they are telling them to go and disappear without a trace.
“More than 93,000 people are now being housed at the taxpayer’s expense, and the number crammed into dispersal accommodation has climbed by 12 per cent under Labour.
“Illegal immigrants should be deported in the first place, and we should certainly not be encouraging them to just disappear.
“The next Conservative government would deport every illegal immigrant, leaving the ECHR and any other obligation that stands in the way in order to get it done, because the surest way to empty the accommodation is to make plain that nobody who crosses the Channel gets to stay.”
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Wales and Scotland should consider ways to deepen devolution, says Andy Burnham
Wales and Scotland should consider ways to deepen devolution by following England’s model of giving more powers to cities and regions, Andy Burnham has said.
The Prime Minister also said Wales’s appeals to get control over the Crown Estate will be “given a fair hearing” when the first ministers of the UK’s devolved nations hold their first meeting with him in October.
Speaking as he visited Port Talbot, Mr Burnham told reporters he would discuss the idea of further spreading of power within Wales and Scotland when devolved leaders gather for the National Economic Council.
The Prime Minister said: “Maybe there’s an argument for deeper devolution, so more power into the cities and the regions of Wales, to North Wales working more with the North West, or mid Wales more with the West Midlands, of the kind of devolution that is developing now quite quickly across England.
“I’m open to conversations, though, with the Plaid Senedd Government about those things, and I’ve called a National Economic Council with the devolved nations for October to discuss precisely those things.”
Andy Burnham pledges to never to turn away from battling climate change as he praises renewable energy
Andy Burnham said there was “no change at all” to his pledge never to turn away from battling climate change as he highlighted the plan to decouple gas and electricity prices.
During his unsuccessful 2015 Labour leadership bid, Mr Burnham said the party under his leadership would “never turn our back on either our duty to tackle climate change or the prospects offered by the green economy”.
Asked whether that was still the case, the Prime Minister told reporters in South Wales: “It completely stands.”
He said the transformation of Port Talbot, “one of the biggest green industrial transition projects in the UK,” was “amazing for Wales”.
“This is where we’ve got to turn our thinking – to future industry that is clean powered, and it’s exciting when you start to think about things in those terms.
“So there’s no change at all.
“I led Greater Manchester with a carbon-neutral ambition of 2038… So, you know, people can look back at my record, and none of that changes.
“I think if we’re going to get people’s energy bills down, we have to work towards the day when we can de-link gas and electricity pricing. That would be one of the biggest moves we could make to support people with the cost of living, and that is linked to renewables and building out renewables.”
Andy Burnham sends ‘big sign of support’ for reindustrialisation of Wales
Andy Burnham has said his Government will honour a promise by Sir Keir Starmer to fund £14billon worth of railway upgrades in Wales
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Andy Burnham said he was “sending a big sign of support” for the reindustrialisation of Wales during a visit to Port Talbot.
Asked what he had achieved for Wales since entering office, the Prime Minister told reporters: “The first thing I would point to is VAT shortly to be removed from electricity bills.
“It’s not everything, but it’s a practical step that will take some pressure off, help people with the cost of living, which is my main focus because I know life is still too hard.”
He continued: “I’m here with the Secretary of State for Wales, sending a big sign of support to Port Talbot and all the people working here, hoping to build, not hoping, will build the world’s biggest green steel production.
“Now that is a huge prize for Wales, and UK Government is providing the backing for Tata and the workforce here.
“It’s no accident that I’m here, because I’m obviously showing Stephen (Kinnock) my support for everything he’s doing as the chair of the (Port Talbot/Tata Steel) transition board.
“But it’s a big statement from me around the reindustrialisation of Wales and supporting Port Talbot, particularly through this crucial transition.”
The Prime Minister has also vowed that his Government will honour a promise by Sir Keir Starmer to fund £14billon worth of railway upgrades in Wales.
Asked by reporters if he would honour the pledge, Mr Burnham said: “Yes, of course, strongly. Because from my part of the world – the North West – our rail service is bound up with North Wales.
“Transport for Wales actually, I would say, is one of our best train operators that comes into the North West. I think it’s been really well-run in recent years.
“I’m also though aware of some of the capacity constraints of the old stations that Wales has got. I think as part of the £14 billion Cardiff Central gets a major overhaul.”
He added: “So the answer is a strong yes. Growth comes if you’ve got good infrastructure, but without the infrastructure, often you know you are making the growth mission much more difficult.
“Setting Wales up for the future requires for that £14 billion to be honoured, and it will be.”
Andy Burnham offers £5million in aid to disaster-hit Nepal amid desperate search for missing Britons
Andy Burnham has said the UK has offered £5million to help the Nepalese government amid a “very distressing and devastating situation” following flash floods.
The Prime Minister told reporters an offer had also been made for emergency responders to head to the affected area.
Thirty-three British citizens, including a 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, are missing following the extreme flash flooding in Nepal.
Speaking to journalists during a visit to South Wales, the Prime Minister said: “It’s a devastating picture that is emerging from what has happened in Nepal.
“Scenes that we’ve never seen the like before, I don’t think, certainly the scale of the devastation.
“So there is immediate action being taken. We are deploying consular support staff to the region so that British nationals will be able to access support 24/7.
“An offer has been made of emergency responders to head to the region but that’s obviously a matter for the Nepalese government.
“But also we’ve offered £5 million to help with that response effort,” Mr Burnham added.
“Obviously, there are a number of British nationals who currently are thought to be missing and we’ll be providing all the support we can to their families in what is a very distressing and devastating situation.”
Asylum seekers dispersed across Britain surge beyond 73,000 as Home Office releases swathes of new immigration data
Asylum seekers who have been dispersed across Britain have surged, new immigration data released by the Home Office has revealed.
Over 73,000 migrants were housed in “non-hotel accommodation” in the 12 months leading up to June 2026.
The figure is 3 per cent higher than at the end of June 2025.
Today’s figures also revealed the total number of asylum claims was 86,000, a drop of 21 per cent compared with the previous year.
Speaking on the data, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “A little over two years into office and the asylum backlog is down, the number of asylum seekers in hotels is falling, illegal working arrests are at record levels, and deportations and returns are up markedly.
“Small boats numbers are also now falling, but we are not complacent and there is more we must do.
“That is why I have boosted enforcement on the French beaches and overseas and introduced new legislation to tackle the pull factors that draw people here through unsafe and illegal routes.
“This government is restoring control at our border and fairness to the migration system.”
READ THE FULL STORY ON NEW IMMIGRATION DATA HERE
Youth unemployment crisis continues as nearly one million young Britons still not in work or education
The number of young people not in education, employment or training has fallen back below one million, according to figures published by the Office for National Statistics this morning.
An estimated 981,000 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK were classed as NEET between April and June, down 30,000 on the previous quarter, when the total topped one million for the first time since 2013.
That puts the NEET rate at 13.0 per cent of the age group, a drop of 0.5 percentage points on the quarter.
However, the ONS noted that the underlying trend is still upwards, as the total is 30,000 higher than the same period last year, and the rate is up 0.2 percentage points on April to June 2025.
Pat McFadden explains Labour’s youth employment scheme as almost one million young Britons remain out of work
Pat McFadden has been grilled by GB News on Labour’s Job Guarantee scheme for young Britons | GB NEWS
Pat McFadden has spoken to GB News on Labour’s new Jobs Guarantee scheme, as almost one million young Britons remain out of work.
Speaking to the People’s Channel, the Work and Pensions Secretary assured the scheme will offer a “policy of hope” for unemployed youths.
New figures published by the Office for National Statistics this morning revealed an estimated 981,000 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK were classed as NEET (not in education, employment or training) between April and June.
Detailing the scheme, Mr McFadden told GB News that it will help ease the “stickiness” of the benefits system.
He explained: “It’s a scheme where, when young people have been out of work for 18 months or more, we will step in and pay their wages for six months, 25 hours a week at national minimum wage rates.
“And the reason we do that is because of what I call the stickiness in the benefits system, when people have been out of work for a long time, it’s very, very hard for them to get back into work.
“It is an economic policy and a Labour market policy, but it’s also a policy based on hope, and we need to offer more help to young people because frankly, for many years now, we’ve had too many of them out of work.”
Meta’s new protections for teenagers in the US expected to apply to UK
The Government expects Meta’s new protections for teenagers in the US to also apply to the UK.
Facebook and Instagram’s owner has agreed to pay up to 18 billion US dollars (£13.3 billion) as part of a settlement ending a legal battle in the US, where it will also introduce major new protections for teenage users.
The agreement resolves claims filed by 47 US states accusing the tech giant of designing Instagram with features that are addictive to children and teenagers and can harm their mental health.
The UK Government is also implementing a social media ban for young people next year.
Top Tory dismantles Labour’s approach to youth unemployment with new scheme: ‘Typical high spending!’
Ms Whateley told GB News that high spending is ‘not the answer’ to youth unemployment | GB NEWS
Helen Whateley has launched a scathing attack on Labour’s approach to getting young Britons into work.
Speaking to GB News, the Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary hit out at the Government’s Job Guarantee scheme, arguing that they have “destroyed British businesses”.
The Jobs Guarantee scheme offers a direct route into work for all 18 to 24-year-olds who have been claiming Universal Credit and looking for work for 18 months.
However, Ms Whateley argued: “Really what’s going on here is that Labour has taxed businesses, added red tape and reduced the opportunities for young people, so they have literally destroyed job opportunities for young people.
“Under Labour, we now have one million young people not in education, employment or training. That’s one million Neets and tens of thousands fewer vacancies in the economy.”
The Tory MP argued that the Government has made it “so hard” for businesses to hire young people.
Andy Burnham visits South Wales as Summer ‘listening tour’ continues
Andy Burnham has headed to South Wales today as he continues his summer tour of the UK.
The Prime Minister is expected to spend the morning talking to Welsh workers and apprentices as part of a “listening tour” that has seen him travel the country to speak to voters about the cost of living.
The tour has already seen him accelerate plans to tackle “everyday frustrations” such as subscription traps, after he made tackling the cost of living a key priority on entering Downing Street last month.
Later in the week, No10 said he would set out action on “rogue operators causing misery to millions of people across the country struggling with rip-off prices”.
The Prime Minister said: “I am in South Wales today because the answers to the UK’s challenges will not come from an echo chamber. They will come from the places that know their own strengths, and from a Government willing to listen and then act.
“Good jobs in every community, in every part of the UK. That is what I want every leader in this country signed up to.”
Mr Burnham will also announce plans to bring together the leaders of the UK’s devolved governments to discuss efforts to increase growth across the country.
Human rights watchdog urges Labour to make it easier for migrants to claim benefits
The watchdog for human rights has urged Labour to make it easier for migrants to claim benefits.
The Equality and Human Right Commission (EHRC) has now given the Government its lowest ranking – “inconsistent action” – for failing to meet recommendations from the United Nations (UN).
The regulator said: “Instead of revising rules which do not allow many migrants to access social security (‘no recourse to public funds’) when they may need it – in line with the UN’s recommendations – the Government has consulted on proposals to extend no recourse to public funds conditions to people granted indefinite leave to remain in the UK.”
Dr Mary-Ann Stephenson, the chairwoman of the EHRC said human rights only worked when they apply to everyone “regardless of their citizenship or immigration status”.
Where are your taxes really going? Bombshell report lifts lid on Labour’s ‘benefits bazooka’
A bombshell report has lifted the lid on how every single Briton is feeling the burden of the UK’s £3trillion debt.
The report, produced exclusively for GB News by Facts4EU in collaboration with Stand for Our Sovereignty and the Campaign for an Independent Britain, has detailed how every UK adult now owes over £50,000 as their share of the staggering burden.
On August 21, the Office for National Statistics released its latest Government debt figures, which show the UK getting very close to hitting the high watermark of £3trillion.
The ONS stated: “Public sector net debt – the amount owed to the UK private sector and overseas, less liquid assets – was provisionally estimated at £2,984.9 billion at the end of July 2026, £95.9 billion more than a year earlier.”
GB NEWS MEMBERS CAN READ THE FULL STORY HERE
Andy Burnham warned anti-Israel sanctions could spark trade war with Donald Trump
Andy Burnham has been warned anti-Israel sanctions could risk a trade war with Donald Trump
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Andy Burnham has been warned anti-Israel sanctions could risk a trade war with Donald Trump.
Alarms have been raised after it was revealed the Prime Minister is set to announce a “robust” package of sanctions which could amount to a “de facto boycott” of Israel.
The Prime Minister has now been told by Labour MPs that if he pushes ahead with the plan he may face retaliatory measures from the White House.
The President has frequently dished out or threatened tariffs – engaging in a recent trade war with Canada after taxing exports including raw materials, toilet paper, hockey sticks, and cotton t-shirts.
One Labour MP told The Times: “Our trade and diplomatic relationship with the US is fragile enough as it is.
“We shouldn’t be naive enough to believe we could sanction Israel and not face any economic and political consequences from the White House, Congress or states with anti-BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) laws.”