Net migration reaches new record in 2022
The UK experienced a record net migration increase in 2022, with figures revised to 745,000 for the year ending in December, up from a previous estimate of 606,000. This surge is partly attributed to an influx of overseas professionals in sectors like the NHS and care homes. Labour criticised the government's handling of immigration, pointing to the high number of asylum seekers in hotels and a significant increase in visas issued to skilled workers. Asylum seeker figures remained stable, with 76,000 applications and 56,042 people in hotel accommodations. There was a notable decrease in small boat arrivals, especially among Albanians, though the reasons for these fluctuations remain unclear. Enver Solomon from the Refugee Council emphasised the genuine need for protection among asylum seekers and urged against the Rwanda deportation plan, advocating instead for community integration and support for refugees. In a new development, immigration minister Robert Jenrick has put forward to No 10 proposals aimed at reducing the level of immigration: see
The Netherlands: controversial far-right party wins most seats
Geert Wilders, a controversial populist leader in Europe, is poised for victory in the Dutch general election. His Freedom Party (PVV), which, amongst other things, advocates bans on mosques, the Quran, and Islamic headscarves in government buildings, secured 37 out of 150 seats in the Dutch parliament. This marks a significant achievement in his career, which has primarily focussed on criticising Islam and mainstream politics. This unexpected win has positioned the PVV as a prominent political force. The left-wing coalition under Frans Timmermans came second with 25 seats, while the ruling VVD, led by outgoing prime minister Mark Rutte, won a disappointing 24 seats. The election signifies a drastic shift from the previous poll two years ago when PVV won only 17 seats. Despite Wilders' success, many remain sceptical about his ability to form a coalition and become the Dutch prime minister due to his divisive rhetoric and extremist positions. The Netherlands is now poised for a complex negotiation to determine the country's leadership.
Ukraine: Putin overlooks his role in starting the war
In an unexpected virtual appearance at the G20 summit, Vladimir Putin called on world leaders to ‘stop the tragedy’ of the war with Ukraine but bizarrely ignored his own role in starting the conflict. In February 2022, after weeks of growing aggression near the Ukrainian border, the Russian president ordered his forces into Ukraine. He claimed it was important to ‘demilitarise’ the country and made baseless neo-Nazi allegations about the Ukrainian government to justify the invasion. Ukraine has only agreed to peace negotiations if Russia agrees to hand back all of the land which it has illegally annexed since 2014 - including the Crimea peninsula, which Putin claims now belongs to Russia. He also broke international law by illegally annexing four other regions in eastern Ukraine in September 2022. In his G20 appearance, Putin also tried to deflect attention from the war by focusing on the conflict between Israel and Hamas, for which he has tried to position himself as a potential mediator.
Ukraine: over 40,000 men have sought to avoid being drafted
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, almost 20,000 men have sought to escape being drafted, with some taking perilous routes like swimming across dangerous rivers. Also, over 20,000 men were apprehended by Ukrainian authorities while attempting to flee. Following the Russian invasion, men aged 18-60 were prohibited from leaving the country, but numerous individuals still manage to escape. Many of them flee to reunite with family abroad, pursue education, or seek employment opportunities. Of those caught attempting to escape, most tried to cross the border by walking or swimming, while 6,800 used fraudulent paperwork to claim fabricated exemptions. The 40,000-plus number of men who have fled or tried to flee could represent a significant proportion of the men Ukraine needs to replenish its army. In August, US officials estimated the Ukrainian military death toll to be up to 70,000 - although Kyiv won't give a figure. There are more than 800,000 in the Ukrainian armed forces.
