'Labour finally has the numbers to show its asylum crackdown is working — but the job is far from done'

'Labour finally has the numbers to show its asylum crackdown is working — but the job is far from done' The number of asylum seekers housed in hotels has halved in just a year, as Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood declared the Government is "restoring control" Labour inherited an asylum system in disarray: hotels overflowing, claims taking too long, removals too low and public confidence badly damaged. Two years on, there are finally hard numbers showing that grip is being restored. The number of asylum seekers in hotels has halved in a year, the backlog has been slashed from its peak, asylum claims are down by a fifth, and removals are rising. Small boat arrivals are also now falling compared with last year. That matters because Labour promised competence after years of Conservative failure and, on one of the toughest issues facing any government, there are signs it is delivering. Of course, there is far more to do. The Channel crossings remain too high, and ministers cannot ease off. Immigration could well become the single issue that decides the next General Election, but these figures should give Labour confidence. If ministers keep driving the numbers down, they can show voters something their opponents offer mostly in slogans: evidence that firm, practical government can work. Middlesbrough cannot become lawless Middlesbrough is living through a nightmare no community should have to endure. Nine people have died in five days. A seven-year-old girl and her aunt were killed in a house fire. Two police officers and five young men died in a horrific crash. Homes have been repeatedly rammed, there are reports of stabbings, and frightened families say they have spent years living under the shadow of rival gangs. Such violence cannot become normal. People who work hard, raise families and simply want to feel safe in their own homes are being intimidated into silence while criminals settle scores on residential streets. Cleveland Police now faces an enormous task, but it cannot do it with one hand tied behind its back. Ministers must give police the officers, intelligence and resources needed to break these gangs before other lives are lost. Recipe for success The Bake Off tent is about to get a whole lot hotter. Nigella Lawson’s wicked humour and easy flirtation have apparently met their match in Paul Hollywood, with arm-wrestling, teasing and enough innuendo to keep viewers entertained. Bake Off thrives on chemistry, and this pairing sounds like a recipe for TV gold.