CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves will today throw hundreds of millions of pounds at fixing Britain’s broken borders — including more drones to snare migrants.
The £680million cash boost comes as ministers scramble to reduce the £4million being spent every day on accommodation for those who manage to cross the Channel in small boats.
PARachel Reeves will throw hundreds of millions of pounds at fixing Britain’s broken borders — including more drones to snare migrants[/caption]
GettyMigrants board a boat from France bound for Britain[/caption]
GettySmall boat crossings are at a record 15,000 already this year[/caption]
Ms Reeves and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper put on a united front following days of fraught negotiations over today’s spending review — insisting border security is a priority.
The funding is part of a £113billion splurge by the Chancellor as she seeks to get back on the front foot at the end of a painful 48 hours.
She is reeling from a humiliating U-turn on winter fuel payments and rising unemployment.
Yesterday Ms Reeves admitted voters were not feeling any better 11 months on from the election.
But she ignored calls to apologise for her financial juggling.
Weeks of haggling have seen the Chancellor lock horns with her Cabinet colleagues over how much of the pie they will get.
The Sun understands Ms Cooper, the last to fold in tense negotiations, has secured £100million to combat illegal migration this year.
She will also get £580million over the next three years for new border police and surveillance, including the extra drones.
Critics are likely to seize on the figure as a drop in the ocean, as small boat crossings are at a record 15,000 already this year.
Britain is also paying France £480million to police its beaches.
And the £4.7billion annual bill to keep migrants in hotels and look after them takes every penny of tax from 582,000 workers.
The spending review will also include huge cash boosts for transport, energy and tech projects in an effort to drive growth.
Ms Reeves will tells MPs today: “This Government is renewing Britain. But I know too many people in too many parts of the country are yet to feel it.
“This Government’s task, my task, and the purpose of this spending review, is to change that.
“To ensure that renewal is felt in people’s everyday lives, their jobs, their communities.
“I have made my choices. In place of chaos, I choose stability. In place of decline, I choose investment. In place of retreat, I choose national renewal.”
Gloomy economic figures
Her claim to have restored stability to the economy was shot down by the Tories who seized on gloomy economic figures.
The jobless rate hit its highest level since the pandemic as businesses struggle with a £25billion national insurance raid.
Unemployment jumped to 4.6 per cent in the three months to April, up from 4.5 per cent for the three months to March and the highest since 2021.
The number of job vacancies also tumbled by 63,000 to 736,000 in the three months to May.
But the Civil Service grew by 2,000 in the first three months of the year to hit its highest level for nearly two decades, at 550,000.
Wages growth fell sharply to 5.2 per cent, prompting speculation interest rates will be cut again.
Bleak domestic situation
The bleak domestic situation was echoed by the World Bank, which said the global economy was hurtling towards its worst year outside a recession since 2008.
Some £39billion will be spent on social housing in the next decade, and the £3 bus fare cap remains.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting will see his Whitehall budget rise by £30billion in three years.
Defence spending is on course to hit 2.5 per cent by 2027, with a hope of three per cent by 2034.
Police will get an above-inflation pay rise but Ms Cooper could still be forced to make savings.
It comes after police chiefs warned of “stark choices” in the future.
WE’LL HIT HARD
By RACHEL REEVES and YVETTE COOPER
WE inherited a broken immigration system.
Under the Conservatives, smuggling gangs were left to take hold along the French coast, undermining Britain’s border security and putting lives at risk.
The Labour Government has already increased enforcement activity to smash these vile criminal networks.
Eighty different investigations into organised smuggler gang networks are currently underway.
Since we came to power, 600 boat engines have been seized, almost 20,000 social media accounts promoting small boat crossings have been removed, illegal working raids are up over 40% and 30,000 people with no right to be in the UK have been removed, and we are bringing in new counter terror powers to go after the gangs.
But we need to go much further and faster to get one step ahead of the tactics used by small boat gangs.
That is why we will boost investment to secure our borders, with up to £280m per year in the Border Security Command by 2028/29.
With this funding we will invest in new specialist investigators, new technology and cutting-edge surveillance equipment to disrupt and destroy this criminality.
Our Spending Review is about investing in Britain’s renewal.
It’s about protecting our security and strengthening our borders.
That is what we promised and that is what we are doing.
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