Graham King: Britain’s asylum millionaire.
Since founding the business Clearsprings shortly before asylum seeker accommodation was opened up to private sector providers in 2000, King has won a succession of Home Office contracts. Clearsprings gradually saw off numerous competitors to become one of just three key accommodation providers across the country.
All three key asylum accommodation providers—Clearsprings, Serco and Mears—have faced accusations about substandard accommodation and inadequate care.
However, new analysis reveals potentially concerning differences between them. Former Clearsprings employees have suggested that residents’ welfare isn’t taken seriously and the company is unduly focused on its bottom line.
That bottom line has looked increasingly healthy in recent years. Last year, Clearsprings shot past its expected 10-year income in just 12 months, reporting revenue of nearly £1.3bn. The entire Home Office budget for 2022 to 2023 was £24.3bn, suggesting Clearsprings accounts for more than one in every £20 spent by the department—that’s including on police, fire and all other services.
King maintains a low profile, despite his runaway success. But how did Britain’s “broken” asylum system turn an aspiring entrepreneur from a fading seaside town into one of Britain’s richest men—and how have successive governments stretching back 25 years helped him on his way?
To read our full report, click the link in @prospect_magazine’s bio.
In seventy years, only seven independent MPs had ever set foot in parliament.
Then, last week, six were elected in one night. All but one were backed by @themuslimvote (TMV), a campaign supporting alternative candidates opposed to Britain’s role in the war on Gaza.
Though British Muslims have historically shown strong support for Labour, these wins were a clear expression of frustration with a party, and establishment, that had not listened to their concerns.
Yes, Gaza was the movement’s catalyst—but TMV’s appeal is far broader than commentators realise.
To read Imaan’s full piece, click the link in our bio.
How do newspapers decide who to back in an election? And in the Murdoch papers, does Rupert ever lean on his editors?
For this week’s episode of the Media Confidential podcast, @arusbridger put the question to @davidyelland, former editor of the Sun.
🎧 Listen to the episode via the link in our bio.
Our editor, Alan Rusbridger, worked with Julian Assange during his time as editor of The Guardian. He is pleased to see Assange is now free, but is worried about the precedent his plea bargain sets for reporting on matters of national security.
To read Alan’s column on the issue, click the link in our bio.
🎧 Could Nigel Farage’s Reform party pose an existential threat to the Tories?
In this week’s episode of the Prospect podcast, we spoke to former Labour speechwriter Philip Collins about the chaos on the right side of politics.
Listen via the link in our bio.
