Asylum centres could be fast-tracked without local approval under a controversial new planning power for critically urgent government developments. Critics argue the measure, contained in the Levelling-Up and Regeneration Bill, is designed to force through centres to house asylum seekers. The Lib Dems said the statistics were “truly shocking” and blamed “a Conservative government starving the NHS of the resources it needs”. Officials at the department also pointed out that the annual headline figure had “not significantly changed over the three-year period”. The Times leads with Sunak sleeping on the Raab report.

Source: The Guardian April 21, 2023 06:41 UTC