Last Night of the “Far Right” — and a Week of Failed Policies
Debt, jobs, prices, borders — and even flags at the Proms. A week where promises and reality didn’t match
Welcome back to Stat of the Nation. Each weekend, I pull together the key stories I’ve covered — and the numbers behind them. This week, the pattern is clear: the costs are piling up, but the results aren’t showing.
Public borrowing has blown past forecasts, pushing debt to new highs.
Jobs are disappearing month after month, as hiring gets more expensive.
Inflation is creeping up again, leaving households under pressure.
And on migration, the much-touted “one in, one out” scheme has yet to make a dent.
Here’s the Stat of the Nation roundup.
1️⃣ Borrowing Blowout
Featured article: Reeves’ Borrowing Blowout: £18bn in August, 44% Above Forecast
The government borrowed £18 billion in August — 44% higher than forecast. Strip out the Covid spike and the past two years now stand as the highest August borrowing figures on record.
This isn’t just a blip. Debt-interest costs are rising sharply because 10-year gilt yields remain stuck at historically high levels. Every tick up in yields means billions more going to bondholders instead of public services.
Rachel Reeves promised stability and a “decade of renewal”. But piling debt on top of weak growth is the opposite of renewal — it’s fragility dressed up as progress.
2️⃣ High Prices, Fewer Jobs, No Growth
Featured article: High Prices, Fewer Jobs, No Growth
The labour market continues to weaken: seven consecutive months of payroll job losses. Since Labour took office, there are 143,000 fewer people in work.
At the same time, inflation is stuck at 3.8% — unchanged from July, but still painfully high. Compare that with 0.8% in France and 2.0% in Germany.
The detail makes grim reading:
Food inflation: 5.1%
Owner-occupier housing costs: 5.3%
Private rents: 4.5%
With inflation stuck this high, the Bank of England has no room to cut rates. Borrowing costs for mortgages, loans, and businesses stay elevated.
And instead of easing the pressure, the government has made it worse by hiking National Insurance — raising the cost of hiring just as growth has flatlined. Families are squeezed from every side.
3️⃣ Migration Farce
Featured article: 5,590 Arrivals, No Removals — Labour’s Migration Policy Farce
Small-boat crossings are up 38% year-to-date, already setting a new record under Starmer. The “one in, one out” scheme was supposed to deter illegal migration. Instead, it has produced 5,590 arrivals and only a handful of removals.
The costs are eye-watering: taxpayers pay £6 million a day just on hotels, with extra bills for military sites and new housing that squeezes out local communities.
Without credible offshore processing and real enforcement, the boats will keep coming. The government’s flagship migration policy is a numbers farce.
4️⃣ BBC and the ID Card Distraction
Related article: ID Cards Won’t Stop the Boats
This week the BBC suggested the “one in, one out” scheme won’t work because many migrants arrive without ID. But that entirely misses the point: you don’t need papers to cross illegally.
Why is the BBC making such a fuss about ID cards? They’re not a deterrent. They won’t stop boats crossing the Channel. They won’t stop illegal working in the cash economy. What they would do is add cost and bureaucracy for British citizens while leaving the real problem untouched.
As I argued in detail: ID cards are a distraction dressed up as a solution. The real issue is enforcement — not paperwork.
5️⃣ Last Night of the “Far Right”
Tweet highlight: Last Night of the Proms
In recent months, we’ve seen patriotism and the Union Jack dismissed by some as the mark of the “far right”.
Yet at the Proms last week, the Royal Albert Hall was awash with flags, patriotic songs, and Union Jack dresses — and the BBC broadcast it live to the nation.
Should the BBC be criticised for showing this patriotism? Or is it simply the far left who are embarrassed by Britain?
Because the reality is simple: the majority and centre of the country are proud of our nation. Patriotism isn’t extremism — it’s mainstream.
The Thread Running Through It
Borrowing up. Jobs down. Prices stuck high. Borders insecure. Even patriotism itself is now called suspect.
From the economy to migration to culture, government policies and elite narratives simply don’t match reality. And until they do, the strain on families, businesses, and taxpayers will only grow.
✍️ Jamie Jenkins
Stat of the Nation exists to cut through the spin and show the numbers as they are.
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