Bungling Tories admit 5,598 asylum seekers have vanished in immigration farce

18 January 2024 , 15:59

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Tory immigration minister Tom Pursglove has made the embarrassing admission (Image: Getty Images)

More than 5,500 asylum seekers have gone missing in a damaging immigration farce, top Tories have been forced to admit.

The Government is accused of "staggering mismanagement" after immigration ministers Tom Pursglove and Michael Tomlinson said the Home Office is searching for 5,598 people. The Conservative duo said they don't know where nearly a third of the people whose asylum application applications were withdrawn in a year are.

Labour Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This is a staggering admission that the Home Office has lost almost 6,000 asylum seekers and has no idea where they are. The fact that thousands of people have been allowed to effectively disappear into the underground economy or left vulnerable to exploitation by criminal gangs is yet more evidence of the shocking mismanagement and chaos in the Tory asylum system. Time and again ministers are spending their time on gimmicks rather than getting a grip."

Illegal Migration Minister Michael Tomlinson said the Home Office is urgently trying to trace over 5,500 people (PA)

She said Labour would set up a new unit to track cases and quickly remove people who shouldn't be in the country. In the year to September 2023, 17,316 cases were recorded was withdrawn by the Home Office.

In a letter to Dame Diana Johnson, who chairs the Home Affairs Select Committee, Mr Pursglove and Mr Tomlinson said 18% - 3,144 people, had left the UK. And 2,643 have been granted some form of lawful immigration status. A further 35% are still in the country having their cases re-assessed, while the rest are missing.

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In their letter Legal Migration Minister Mr Pursglove and Illegal Migration Minister Mr Tomlinson said the Home Office is "stating steps to urgently establish contact with them". They said that going missing could work against them if they try to remain in the country.

The pair continued: "When we withdraw a claim, and if someone has no other permission to stay in the UK; funding and support stops and someone becomes liable for law enforcement activity to be removed from the UK. If these individuals were to make further submissions, caseworkers may consider whether their previous actions are damaging to their credibility."

Rishi Sunak faced further embarrassment as it emerged 358 made the dangerous journey across the Channel yesterday - the day MPs clashed over his Rwanda Bill. Eight boats reached the UK, bringing the number of people to arrive this way so far in 2024 to over 600.

Rattled Rishi Sunak bizarrely attempted to claim the Tories are "completely united" as he addressed the nation from Downing Street.

Holding a press conference after he survived another day of Conservative chaos over his Rwanda policy, the PM appeared at odds with reality. Instead, the Tory leader sought to lecture peers in the House of Lords over the Rwanda deportation policy, telling them: "It's now time for the Lords to pass this policy too".

He urged Lords in the upper chamber, who are responsible for scrutinising government legislation, to not "try and frustrate the will of the people". The Bill is expected to face serious challenges in the upper chamber, but Mr Sunak said in a short speech from No10: "The House of Lords must pass this Bill."

The under-fire Tory leader also insisted he is "sticking to the plan" amid reports Tory MPs had submitted letters of no confidence to the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs. Pressed on what he would say to colleagues who think that he is the "wrong man for the job", the Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference: "I'm interested in sticking with the plan I set out for the British people because that plan is working.

"It is delivering real change, and if we stick with that plan, we'll be able to build a brighter future for everyone's families in this country and a renewed sense of pride in our nation." He added: "The Conservative Party is completely united in wanting to deliver for the country, cut their taxes and, crucially, to stop the boats."

Dave Burke