Alex Norris, Home Office Minister, is speaking at a Citizens UK summit event about launching named community sponsorship in the UK in Westminster "This is a bet on the British people". Those who express concerns will also step up for Afghans, Syrians, Ukrainians and Hong Kongers, he says

HASC then was chaired by Yvette Cooper. The Migration Advisory Committee annual report + a wider remit came out of that report. Successive governments have not yet adopted the proposal to do this at scale in a regular process. This proposal has picked up a broader coalition since 2024 though.

More on the 3 discussion locations and the methods being used committees.parliament.uk/committee/83...

Demos are holding three discussion sessions - with the Home Affairs Committee - they will visit Northumberland, Leicestershire and South Renfrewshire, which should again capture the case for dialogue + discussions about immigration choices in polarised times BBC www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Govt's plans to double (or more) the length of time it takes for migrants to qualify for settlement in the UK risks exacerbating child poverty, according to new analysis by @ippr.org Poverty will be prolonged for 60,000-90,000 children of foreign workers by 2029 www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Migration Advisory Committee has published (some of) numbers behind Mahmood's claim. Care workers/dependants make *positive* net contribution for 1st 20 years in UK After that - like Brits - they get old, retire and become a cost. www.gov.uk/government/p...

A good thing happened today. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Interestingly, the salience of migration seems to have plateaued or potentially be dipping, following a raft of policy announcements - 44% select either channel crossings or levels of migration as a top issue - the lowest since June 2025

There are other reasons for the UK government not to award or continue Palantir contracts but this statement of intent by its CEO must surely be decisive?

Try: "We chose not to have an exception, even for Chevening prog. Its unfortunate + unfair to vg students identified by FCDO. But we hope that may increase our leverage with their govts" Why do we think that in case of Afghan women+Taliban govt? Maybe it "sends a message" here. But what message?

This is a cruel story but also one of governmental incoherence. FCDO takes the time and effort to select the right scholars for this highly competitive scheme, which is part of its work and mandate. Home Office (unilaterally?) changes the rules, (presumably) refuses a carve out for Chevening.

Immigration salience - by local area Most affluent: 43% 2nd most affluent: 44% Middle fifth: 41% Second most deprived: 41% Most deprived: 38% Ipsos issues index, Feb 2026

In less than a month, new providers of children’s homes, fostering services and secure accommodation will no longer be able to make a profit in Wales — making it the first nation in the UK to take this landmark step. nation.cymru/news/wales-b...

The OBR views migration as a net fiscal contributor not a drag. Quite a few people don't like this or simply don't believe it, but it remains the case.

This is definitely worth a read. The electoral implications of two deprivations: "In the parts of the country where you can get a good job, you can’t get a good house; in the parts of the country where you can get a good house, you can’t get a good job."

The government is willing - as a political choice - to pay significant fiscal costs to get immigration down But it can not fabricate fiscal savings of its settlement policy by presenting numbers which don't reflect its policy at all. bsky.app/profile/sund...

"A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen." Just off the top of my head the potential interaction with local authority homelessness and social care duties feels significant?

Your regular reminder that the UK is in fact a high trust society and anyone who implies it isn’t is either selling you a pup or has bought one.

Its a political choice to want to keep net migration down (then readjust the borrowing, tax, spending numbers) or whether to want net migration to drift up (then readjust some of the Home Office policy drive to reduce/eliminate it). Can't do both. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

"Today’s OBR projections reveal two competing realities in government right now. The OBR and Treasury forecast an upturn in net migration, which makes their fiscal numbers add up – while the Home Office says it is determined to drive net migration down still further. They can’t have it both ways".

Here but excluded remains the worst of all worlds from an integration perspective.

The wider point here is that you can only sell assets once. Sales such as these, which many councils are being forced to make, are not a sustainable solution to financial pressure. Likewise drawing down reserves, which an increasing proportion of councils have now been doing for 3 years or more

Understanding public procurement is key to understanding the failures in asylum accommodation. This is a good explainer of some of the gaps, in the solutions I strongly agree with the need for more spending on contract management (and factoring this into whether outsourcing is in fact cheaper.)

When we fail to make sure we all have a decent home that we can afford, we’re failing in our most basic responsibility to protect people’s dignity. It’s appalling that the number of children growing up in temporary accommodation continues to reach record highs.

The latest data shows 134,760 households including 175,990 children living in temporary accommodation. This includes 2,880 families with children in bed and breakfast hotels, with more than half of these (1,670) living in these for more than 6 weeks...

New statistics released today show two abysmal new records: - A record high number of people sleeping rough - A record high number of households and children living in temporary accommodation These are the most devastating indicators of the failure of our housing system ⬇️

The recent Public Accounts Ctte highlighted a new Asylum Systems Board aiming to take a more holistic approach with participation from MoJ and MHCLG. Time will tell how effective this will be, but this is an example of exactly why that is so needed, HO acting alone will not be effective.

The number of people arriving on safe and legal routes hasn't fallen dramatically. Only 65 refugees were resettled through the UK resettlement scheme between Oct and Dec. It's supposed the be the UK's global resettlement scheme. When launched in 2019, it aimed to resettle around 5k people a year.

🧵Reform’s promise to scrap the employees’ rights act as part of the Great Repeal Bill could risk alienating a group of their potential voters. Here's why it's a risk Firstly, as polling we've done for @jrf-uk.bsky.social shows - Brits across voter groups support key elements of the act

The Reform proposal to repeal the Equality Act + anti-discrimination laws (a proposal which Farage made and u-turned on in 2015, but which is back in 2026) has gone almost completely under the radar

Football represents an underutilised opportunity for Labour to anchor a wider programme of civic renewal. By Sam Taylor Hill

Can cities survive without the anonymity they give people? Genuine question.

So many big impacts of government settlement reforms - affecting over 1.3m people. Some are controversial but seem deliberate. Many appear unintended: eg Oxford show draft proposals prevent tens of thousands of women from ever getting settlement & impact on 300k children www.ft.com/content/ca14...

This, as my recent report shows, is because Reform supporters are more likely to live in areas where the high street is run down.

Over 300,000 children already living in the UK could face 5–10 extra years before they can settle permanently. Changing the rules mid-journey will likely increase child poverty. Latest from us 🔗 www.ippr.org/articles/far-from-settled-the-governments-earned-settlement-consultation

This analysis is helpful in setting out what the key principles should be in setting the policy - should deliver stronger integration, should not increase child poverty, should promote inclusive economic growth, should treat people fairly and consistently.

This is absolutely insane. The sort of Kafka-esque nightmare you would find in a Philip K Dick book set far in the dystopian future. A window on America tumbling into autocracy. www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...

This is homelessness by design. It has to end - extending the move on period to allow more time for people to find accommodation is essential, as is fixing the flaws in the system that leave people without support as soon as they are recognised as deserving protection www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The number of refugees who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in England has soared. Speaking to BBC News about how to approach this concerning trend @jacquibroadhead.bsky.social said a long-term reimagining of asylum policies may be required. 🔗https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy9y3n43192o

Direct quote from the Government's own child poverty strategy "We are committed to ensuring that vulnerable migrant children receive the support that they require, regardless of their immigration status."

Around 185,000 Hong Kongers have come to the UK since 2021, after the BNO visa was created. Join us on the 11th of February to find out how Hong Kongers are adapting to life in the UK. Register here 👇 www.eventbrite.com/e/hong-kong-...

BREAKING The number of homicides in England and Wales has fallen to 499 - the lowest level for four decades. From Oct 24 -Sep 25 there were also falls in knife crime and gun crimes, recorded by police. But shop theft rose to 519,381 offences. Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS)

An energising day in Westminster yesterday with many @churchillfship.bsky.social Fellows on how to understand & shape debates about migration+cohesion in volatile times: thanks @bekelewoyecha.bsky.social @jacquibroadhead.bsky.social @emilyagraham.bsky.social + Rosie Carter for insights + inspiration

9m adults in England have low literacy or numeracy. Yet our analysis shows 63% fewer people each year are taking courses to improve as funding cut. And @theifs.bsky.social analysis today shows we're spending 15-29% less per learner than in 2013-14. Not good for productivity or life chances.

Process matters as well as rules. We don't make it easy to interact with the immigration system because our starting premise is always that they need us more than we need them. People aren't daft, they see and feel this message, even if they are in the group we notionally want to attract.

The Prime Minister of Belgium speaks:

starting to wonder if there might be some downside to the most senior people who cover the British government having no frame of reference beyond "westminster horserace", if I'm honest lads

Rayner's full oped is here: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I feel staggeringly lucky to have missed the fee increase and been able to pay off my loan on a vaguely normal timescale. People who did the same course as me at the same place two years later face an additional 9% tax for 30 years of their working life www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-...