The UK budget is under big stress. More tax rises are threatened for the autumn as the government struggles to control spending. They did not allow enough for the surging costs for migrants, and the big expense of dealing with illegals from France.
The government has had to hire more hotels to house illegal migrants coming across the channel in ever larger numbers. The government is desperately trying to find cheaper accommodation for new arrivals, generally, and wants to speed up the processing of claims. They are likely to increase the numbers allowed to stay as they press officials to give quicker answers to applicants.
This will compound the future demands on budgets. Those allowed to stay need subsidised homes and benefit support or a top-up.
More and cheaper housing from the rented market will be bid up in price by a government granting priority to recently arrived migrants, and keen to save money on the hotel alternative.
The last government agreed to pay France €541million over three years to police their coast better, to help stop the small boats.
France is laughing all the way to bank as Britain borders collapse. Just follow the money - John RedwoodGetty Images
The French failed to live up to the fine words of the agreement, which pledged a drastic reduction in the number of crossings year on year. Instead, the number of people arriving this year is up by almost 50 per cent. This government scrapped the last government's policy and said it would smash the gangs. The gangs are thriving.
The French were meant to construct a new detention centre for illegals in Dunkirk, which was delayed by planning issues.
Despite this, the UK kept on paying. We were told they were stopping some boats.
We watched on TV the French police standing on the beach, helpless as inflatables were dangerously overloaded in front of them by migrants splashing into the water.
The new PM and Home Secretary have promised more money and want to continue the scheme at least until 2027.
Where is the value for all the money spent so far? Why don't they demand better results for the money? The UK doesn't have to pay other countries to police their borders. We do not have the same problems as Belgium and the Netherlands.
Belgium has worked hard to stop the boats and the gangs, arresting more. It took powers to download data from mobile phones to see who is organising the trips, and to stop the boats before they depart.
It has also taken action against tent encampments of those wanting to find an illegal crossing. It does not send the UK the bill for its police force.
Will France recommit to building a detention centre? Will France accept responsibility for people it lets cross its borders? Will she stop them taking unlicenced boats to the UK run by criminal gangs that dodge taxes, money launder, people traffic and above all put people's lives at risk? When will they fulfil the new promise of challenging the boats in the shallows as they load their passengers?
In 2016, when there was a migrant surge into the EU, the frontline states led by Greece and Italy complained it was unfair that they took a disproportionate number, as other countries refused to take their EU quota.
The EU proposed that the state not wanting to welcome migrants pay 250,000 per migrant for the number in their quota they declined to take.
The states that took in more migrants were to get the money. €250,000 was then the EU's estimate of the five-year cost to a state of accepting a low-pay or no-pay migrant.
The state needed to find subsidised homes, school places, healthcare and a full range of public services and utilities to support the extra people. It was not a popular idea. It was a good estimate of the costs.
In the UK, the Treasury wrongly claimed that more migration would boost growth per head and tax revenues, as the state avoided paying for childcare and education in the early years for the migrants.
Later work has shown this is a nonsense unless the migrant is skilled and coming for a better-paid job. Many legal and illegal. Migrants have been coming to work as dependents or students.
Many have come to low-paid work where the costs of providing them with a home and public services exceed what they pay.
Indeed, the latest Office for Budget Responsibility figures say the low pay migrants cost the Treasury £151,000 if they stay to retirement at 66, and £500,000 by 80 as they take their pension and benefits.
The government's budget is in bad order. Spending is rising too fast. Slower economic growth means less tax revenue than expected. The Chancellor will probably be told to put taxes up again. The big failure to smash the gangs and the need for more hotels for illegals are costly.
The pressure on housing and public services for so many legal migrants coming to no pay or low pay means billions more spending in the years ahead.
It means more years of shortages of everything from affordable homes to healthcare unless the government steps up the extra provision people need.
Most Read
