PM Rishi Sunak says he aims to clear the asylum backlog by the end of 2023

PM has hopes of clearing the backlog within one year

With approximately 100,000 asylum claims pending in the United Kingdom, newly appointed Prime minister Rishi Sunak has insisted to MPs that he will clear the asylum backlog by the end of 2023.

It is said that Sunak has signed a deal with Albania and will proceed with ‘hostile environment’ checks over the coming year.

Since introduced, his plans have faced much support and criticism across the United Kingdom and within the cabinet.

A five-point plan is to be implemented

Speaking in the Commons, Rishi Sunak has detailed a five-point plan which is thought to include law changes that will allow asylum claimants to be prosecuted and removed from the United Kingdom after travelling to the country on small boats.

Since the announcement, some MPs from the Conservative party have criticised the action plan stating it may undermine the protection policies already in place to support victims.

Rishi Sunak has since said:

“We expect to abolish the backlog of initial asylum decisions by the end of next year. We will introduce new legislation to make it unambiguously clear that if you enter the UK illegally, you should not be able to remain here. And furthermore, if our reforms on Albania are challenged in the courts, we will also put them on a statutory footing to ensure the UK’s treatment of Albanian arrivals is no different to that of Germany or France.”

Sunak has also expressed that he will resume plans to deport people from the UK to Rwanda.