“Immigration demanded the equivalent of one in three new homes built during Labour’s first year in office, a damning new analysis shows. Net migration stood at 204,000 people in the year to June while only 237,630 new homes were completed. With an average household made up of 2.36 people, new immigrants would require the equivalent of 86,441 of the newly-built properties, or just over 36 per cent, a Conservative study said. The Conservatives said the figures revealed ‘the full scale of Labour’s housing crisis’ and that the Government had ‘failed to build anywhere near enough homes to match the levels of immigration they have allowed in their first year’.Calculations by the Opposition indicate the problem will deepen by 2030. By then, the equivalent of 50 per cent of new homes constructed will be required to accommodate newly-arrived migrants. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: ‘Labour have opened the door to record immigration without any plan to deal with the consequences. They let numbers surge, they let removals collapse, and now British families are paying the price in higher rents, longer waiting lists and fewer homes.” – Daily Mail
Editorial
Comment
Today
“Nicolás Maduro smiled as he entered the Manhattan courtroom. Wishing his supporters “a Happy New Year”, he shuffled to his seat, shackled at the ankles. But his temper boiled over at the conclusion of the hearing on Monday when he was confronted by Pedro Rojas, a dissident who had secured a seat in the public gallery to watch the former president of his country answer to US charges of narco-terrorism. Mr Rojas, 33, was imprisoned by the Maduro regime for months in 2019. As the former leader left the court, Mr Rojas revelled in the moment, shouting that he was an “illegitimate” president and he would “pay”. Raising his finger, Mr Maduro shouted back: “I’m a man of God” and claimed he was “a kidnapped president” and “a prisoner of war”. Appearing in front of 92-year-old Alvin Hellerstein, a federal judge appointed to the bench by Bill Clinton almost three decades ago, the deposed president was asked to confirm his name. Through a translator, he told the court: “I am Nicolas Maduro. I am President of the Republic of Venezuela. I am here, kidnapped, since Saturday January the 3rd.” Judge Hellerstein cut him off, ordering him to confirm his name only. It was a humbling moment for a man who, three days earlier, was a head of state.” – Daily Telegraph
Comment
“Sir Keir Starmer has picked a side, on Greenland at least. Mike Tapp, a junior minister, repeatedly refused to say if the government would criticise Donald Trump if he attempted to annex Greenland. He told Sky News: “Diplomacy is delicate, which means we’re not here to give a running commentary in the news.” It is one thing for the government to tread carefully on Donald Trump’s military offensive in Venezuela and capture of Nicolás Maduro. It is quite another to remain silent on the issue of Greenland given it is a Danish territory. Denmark, a fellow member of Nato, has made clear that the annexation of Greenland would be unacceptable. Mette Frederiksen, the Danish prime minister, said that Trump has “no right” to the territory.” – The Times
Comment
“Sir Keir Starmer’s economic ‘reset’ has been dealt a blow by a further squeeze on the cost of living and weak business confidence, according to figures. The Prime Minister said yesterday ‘what matters more than anything is the cost of living’ and this year Britain would be ‘turning a corner’. But a retail sector report showed food price rises accelerated last month, putting more pressure on households – and warned of continued inflation pain in 2026, much of it thanks to Labour’s policies. Meanwhile, Bank of England data revealed hard-pressed families pushed consumer credit to a two-year high of £2.1billion in November as they turned to borrowing to pay for festivities. In a further blow, a poll for the Institute of Directors (IoD) showed business confidence was near record lows last month, with hiring and investment slashed. And another survey, from the Jobs Foundation, showed nearly four in five family business owners are dejected about the economy – with many believing times are tougher than in the 1970s.” – Daily Mail
Comment
Today
“It was meant to be the showcase local authority that would prove Reform UK would be capable of governing should it win the next general election in 2029. But instead the bitter and public infighting among former and current Reform councillors risks doing exactly the opposite. Two of the nine councillors suspended by Reform after a public row last October have now condemned the current leadership in Kent as “narcissistic lunatics” with one claiming appeals to Nigel Farage to be reinstated have been ignored. Councillor Brian Black was one of five councillors expelled from the party in October after infighting on the council became very public following a leaked video. The reason for his expulsion was for showing “a pattern of dishonest and deceptive behaviour”. He has now told The i Paper that appeals to Farage for reinstatement have been ignored, and they have so far received no response after lodging complaints over their suspensions and expulsions from the party. “I think they’ve just sat on them. I don’t think Nigel Farage has seen them” – The i
Today