Secret £7bn Afghan Scheme Blows Hole in Labour Budget
- Admin
- Jul 15
- 2 min read
A massive immigration leak exposes covert UK operations relocating tens of thousands of Afghan nationals at taxpayer expense with political and financial fallout mounting.
A long-suppressed scandal involving secret Afghan relocation schemes has erupted following the lifting of Britain’s longest-standing media super-injunction at midday today. The revelation is sending shockwaves through Westminster and poses a serious financial and political challenge for Labour’s Rachel Reeves just hours before her key Mansion House speech.
Leaked MOD Data Sparked Hidden Relocation Effort
The origins of the covert operation date back to 2022, when a British soldier accidentally leaked a Ministry of Defence list containing 33,000 names of Afghans potentially eligible for sanctuary in the UK. These individuals, many of whom had supported British forces during the Afghanistan conflict, faced serious threats to their lives after the Taliban's resurgence.
Rather than risk international backlash or domestic debate, government officials launched a series of secret resettlement schemes. These allowed tens of thousands of Afghans many of whom did not meet formal eligibility criteria to be quietly brought to the UK under humanitarian grounds.
A £6 Billion Price Tag — And Counting
The true cost of the clandestine relocation programme has now been revealed: an estimated £7 billion. Already, £2.7 billion of taxpayer funds have been spent. The initial budget allocation was reportedly £7 billion, equivalent to fourteen times the annual revenue from the UK’s agricultural land tax.
To date, 18,500 Afghans have been resettled in the UK. Though Defence Secretary John Healey has since cancelled the remainder of the programme which would have seen an additional 42,500 non-eligible individuals arrive at least 5,400 more Afghans are expected to be flown in over the next few weeks, pushing the total to nearly 24,000.
Political Fallout and Budgetary Crisis
The revelation places further pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who is already grappling with looming fiscal challenges. Critics warn that the unbudgeted billions tied to the secret Afghan schemes represent another “black hole” in public finances.
Observers are now questioning how such a large-scale and costly immigration policy could be pursued in total secrecy bypassing Parliament, the public, and even most of the civil service.
“This isn’t just about money,” said one senior insider. “It’s about democratic accountability. How can a government commit billions and alter immigration policy behind closed doors?”
Super-Injunction Lifted — What Comes Next?
Media coverage of the operation was blocked by a super-injunction reportedly the longest in UK legal history which has now been lifted. With public attention and scrutiny now fully focused on the matter, the Labour government faces urgent questions about transparency, spending priorities, and long-term immigration policy.
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