Newslinks for Wednesday 10th December 2025

Asylum fiasco without end, as France’s presidential frontrunner Bardella vows to stop the boats

“The Home Office has no idea how many asylum seekers have gone missing since arriving in this country. A damning report today reveals yet more woeful failings in Britain’s asylum process, with huge gaps in systems and key data that does not exist. The National Audit Office’s withering verdict will raise yet more questions about Labour’s handling of the crisis, just weeks after a separate report blasted the same ‘incompetent’ department for ‘squandering’ billions on asylum hotels. Today’s report found the asylum system cost the taxpayer a staggering £4.9billion in 2024-25, mostly on providing taxpayer-funded migrant hotels and other accommodation. But even this figure excluded major sums, such as legal aid for asylum seekers’ lawyers and the costs borne by local councils when they take over responsibility for supporting successful claimants – which suggests the true figure could be much higher. In its report, the official spending watchdog warned: ‘We found several examples of data that could help the Government better understand outcomes within the asylum system that were not routinely being collected, or which they could not provide. For example the Home Office did not hold complete data on the number who absconded from the asylum system.’ Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said it showed ‘the Home Office is likely to have lost track of thousands of illegal immigrants who have claimed asylum’.” – Daily Mail

• Asylum overhaul in UK could lead to rise in homelessness and backlogs, says report – The Guardian
• Four in 10 asylum seekers remain in Britain despite being rejected – Daily Telegraph
• Jordan Bardella: ‘Together, Nigel Farage and I will restore Europe’s borders’ – Daily Telegraph
• Asylum seekers’ cost to taxpayer is unknown, public auditor says – CityAM
• Thousands of asylum claims unresolved after three years, damning spending watchdog analysis finds – The Independent

Comment:

• The truth about crime and illegal immigration is even worse than you imagine – Annabel Denham, Daily Telegraph
• A horror is unfolding before our very eyes, it’s time to confront some hard truths: As two Afghan small-boat migrants are jailed for raping 15-year-old girl, here is an uncompromising message for the politicians – Sarah Vine, Daily Mail
• Brit teen, 15, was raped as a direct consequence of our open borders. How many more girls & women will suffer? – Jane Moore, The Sun
• Farage and Bardella’s small boats pact – James Heale, The Spectator

Trump claims Khan only gets elected because of mass migration

“Donald Trump has claimed Sir Sadiq Khan was only elected because of support from an influx of migrants to the capital. The US president repeatedly criticised Sir Sadiq in an interview, calling him a “horrible mayor” and accusing him of making London a “different place” because of mass migration. Mr Trump told Politico: “He’s a disaster. He’s a disaster. He’s got a totally different ideology to what he’s supposed to have. And he gets elected because so many people have come in. They vote for him now because you know, it’s like […] it’s one of those things.” He also said that London and Paris were a “much different place” because “politically correct” leaders in Europe “don’t want to send them back to where they came from”. Mr Trump added: “If you take a look at London, you have a mayor named Khan. He’s a horrible mayor. He’s an incompetent mayor, but he’s a horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor. I think he’s done a terrible job. London’s a different place. I love London. I love London. And I hate to see it happen.” Mr Trump did not elaborate on Sir Sadiq’s “ideology”, although he has previously claimed the mayor wanted to “go to Sharia law.” A spokesman for the Mayor of London said: “We are not going to dignify his appalling and bigoted comments with a response.”” – Daily Telegraph

• Donald Trump lashes out at Sadiq Khan again and says ‘I hate what’s happening to London’ – Daily Express
• Trump reignites war of words with ‘horrible’ Sadiq Khan accusing him of turning London into a ‘different place’ – but Labour mayor hits back saying Americans are arriving in record numbers – Daily Mail
• No 10 denies failing to defend Khan against Trump – BBC News
• London mayor rebukes ‘obsessed’ Trump over migration tirade – Politico

Comment:

• Trump’s view of Europe sounds the alarm – Daniel Finkelstein, The Times
• A new security plan reveals what Trump really thinks about Europe – and it couldn’t be more chilling: ‘You’re on your own, losers. Bye!’ – Andrew Neil, Daily Mail

> Today:

Grooming gangs inquiry chair named, but concerns remain about ‘tick box exercise’

“The national grooming gang inquiry will examine why perpetrators’ ethnicity and religion caused the authorities to cover up the abuse but will not report back until 2029 and will not cover all areas affected by the scandal. Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, announced that Baroness Longfield, the former children’s commissioner, would lead the inquiry after months of delays. Her appointment was criticised by victims over questions about her impartiality given Longfield was appointed a Labour peer by Sir Keir Starmer this year. Mahmood, who announced Longfield’s appointment in a statement in the House of Commons, said the peer would step down from the party while she carried out the inquiry’s work. The home secretary said the inquiry would not begin until March while the chair consulted on the draft terms of reference with victims and other stakeholders.” – The Times

• Ministers FINALLY name chair for national grooming gangs inquiry… but victims warn Labour peer will run ‘tick box exercise’ – Daily Mail
• Father of grooming gangs victim tears into appointment of Baroness Longfield amid inquiry chaos: ‘Labour scrutinising Labour!’ – GBNews
• Ethnicities of all offenders should be released, says Mahmood – Daily Telegraph

Comment:

• Labour must get a grip on grooming gangs inquiry and prove it can deliver justice denied to victims for so long – The Sun says
• From grooming gangs to maternity safety: how the British state is failing – Isabel Hardman, The Spectator

News in brief:

• The tragedy of Keir Starmer’s Substack – UnHerd
• Britain is facing a crisis of state legitimacy – Chris Bayliss, The Critic
• Kemi Badenoch has the task of a lifetime – Bruce Anderson, CapX
• Labour believes success is something to be ashamed of – John O’Connell, CityAM