The article discusses Rachel Reeves' ambitious promise to cut spending by £1 billion through reducing the backlog of asylum seekers and eliminating hotel accommodations for them. Economists express doubt about the feasibility of these savings, citing challenges in clearing the backlog and increasing appeal capacities. Key stakeholders emphasize that, despite the political urgency, the government shows a lack of proactive measures to address these issues. The savings, if realized, are critical for reallocating funds to other priorities like affordable housing, setting high expectations for Reeves and her team.
"The political priority is to end the costly use of asylum hotels in this parliament, not by housing asylum claimants elsewhere, but by clearing the asylum backlog."
"Assuming the investment in the Border Security Command is not sufficient to stop people arriving irregularly in the UK, this presents a hostage to fortune; of who, and how many, continue to arrive in the UK to claim asylum."
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