Home Office must process asylum claim every four minutes to clear backlog by January

Rishi Sunak claims ministers were on track to clear backlog by end of year - currently close to 75,000

The Home Office needs to process an asylum claim every four minutes between now and the end of the year if the prime minister's pledge to clear the backlog is to be honoured, according to new data.

Earlier this month the prime minister reiterated that the government would meet this target, although critics are sceptical this target will be achieved.