Angela Eagle says data is not there to support Robert Jenrick’s assertions as Nigel Farage prepares to also address issue in press conference

Angela Eagle, the Home Office minister, was giving interviews this morning to promote government plans to spend £100m hiring up to 300 extra National Crime Agency officers. Here is the Home Office press release, and Rajeev Syal has written the story up here.

As Rajeev says, this was the third Home Office announcement on this topic within 24 hours, following confirmation of plans plans to introduce a new offence for advertising irregular small boat crossings and plans to fast-track the processing of asylum applications.

As part of a fresh government crackdown, universities will be penalised if fewer than 95 per cent of international students accepted on to a course start their studies, or fewer than 90 per cent continue to the end. Institutions that accept foreign students will face sanctions if more than 5 per cent of their visas are rejected.

The plans, which are expected to be announced next month, are designed to prevent the growing numbers of foreign nationals using study visas to enter the UK and then claim asylum.

Source: Guardian - World News