This week on The Mike Graham Show, we looked at Starmer’s claim that his plan is working, the reality behind falling asylum hotel numbers, Britain’s falling wealth and the surge in children referred for mental-health support.
Watch the full discussion below.
Keir Starmer says his plan is working.
But when you look beyond the political messaging, the numbers paint a much less comfortable picture.
Hotels Down, Pressure Moved
The number of asylum seekers in hotels is down by 8,676 since the election.
That sounds like progress, until you look at what has happened elsewhere.
Nearly 7,000 more people have been moved into dispersed accommodation, including communities already struggling with housing shortages and pressure on public services.
The problem has not disappeared. It has been moved.
Small-boat arrivals are down on last year, but nearly 12,000 people have still crossed the Channel so far in 2026.
That is not a secure border. It is simply a lower number compared with an exceptionally high one last year.
With thousands still waiting in northern France, and weather playing such a major role in crossings, there is no room for complacency.
Britain’s Wealth Has Fallen
Average wealth per adult in the UK is down 23% since 2020, one of the worst performances across the developed world.
That is not just a number for the wealthy. It feeds through into what people feel in their own lives, higher mortgage costs, more expensive borrowing, inflation eating into savings and pensions, and household debt becoming harder to manage.
Britain has a high share of wealth tied up in property rather than financial assets. That leaves households especially exposed when inflation rises and interest rates climb.
It is also why wealth taxes may sound simple in theory, but become much harder in practice when so much of people’s wealth is tied up in bricks and mortar rather than cash sitting in an account.
One Million Children Referred
More than one million children under 18 now have an active referral to mental-health support.
That number has doubled since 2019.
Children with serious mental-health needs should get support, without question. But we also need to ask what has changed in our society when referrals have risen so sharply in such a short period.
We need to support children who are genuinely struggling, while also helping them build confidence, resilience and the ability to cope with life’s inevitable setbacks.
Changing The Numbers Is Not Fixing The Problem
This is the wider problem with the political debate.
Hotel numbers can fall while pressure is pushed into local communities.
Small-boat arrivals can be lower than last year while thousands still cross the Channel.
The government can say the economy is stabilising while average wealth has fallen sharply.
And we can say we care about children’s mental health without asking why the number needing help has doubled.
Watch the full discussion with Mike Graham above.
Thanks for reading Stat of the Nation.
✍️ Jamie Jenkins
Stats Jamie | Stats, Facts & Opinions
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Starmer is delusional and Burnham will be worse. The bond markets will force a General Election in 2027, which is why they're going after Nigel now to try (and fail) to get rid of him !
Did anyone know what that plan was?