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Thursday, 13 August 2026

The Daily Trend

Today’s news, with the data and without the spin

Early Release Scheme

Trending · Justice

Early Release Scheme

The Independent

43 articles across 9 outlets · news sources analysed by AI, figures counted from the coverage

Sentiment

Across all Trend monitored news outlets · 43 articles

What happened

Prime Minister Andy Burnham is facing pressure from 50 police leaders to stop the early release of two men convicted of killing PC Andrew Harper in 2019. Jessie Cole and Albert Bowers could be freed early under a government scheme releasing 5,000 prisoners from October to ease prison overcrowding. Burnham says he is working to prevent their release, but the chief probation inspector has warned the scheme risks serious crimes because staff cannot properly monitor all offenders.

Prison Population

The number of people held in prison across England and Wales, counted every week. It includes sentenced prisoners, people on remand (held in custody before trial or sentencing) and immigration detainees, and is best read against usable operational capacity, how many a prison can safely hold. When it rises, the system runs short of room; when it falls, headroom returns.

LATEST · 19 Oct 202686,557
GROWTH · YOY-1.0%
HIGH · 06 Sep 202488,521
LOW · 06 Jan 202382,212
82k84k86k88k90k202420252026
ConservativeLabourCoalition

Source: Ministry of Justice / HMPPS · Prison Population Statistics

Coverage: England & Wales

See the full data

How each side sees it

Other News

The next most-covered stories, measured the same way. Each one sits on a board where the numbers behind it live.

  • Business Rates

    Trending · Finance

    Business Rates

    5 articles across 5 outlets · news sources analysed by AI, figures counted from the coverage

    Sentiment

    Across all Trend monitored news outlets · 5 articles

  • Business Rates

    Trending · Finance

    Business Rates

    Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he wants to go further on business rates relief beyond the 20% rates relief for pubs announced when he took office. He also announced plans to ban fake discounts and make subscription cancellations easier.

  • Data

    Where Your £100 Comes From

    For every £100 the government collects in tax, this shows where it comes from. Most people assume income tax does the heavy lifting, and they are right.

    £3358.1%2025
    20202025

    See this and every other finance figure Trend holds on the Finance board.

  • Left

    Summary

    The Guardian and Independent framed Burnham's announcements as consumer protection measures, listing specific practices like fake discounts and subscription cancellations alongside broader cost-of-living interventions.

    Sentiment

    Across left-leaning outlets · 2 articles

  • Right

    Summary

    The Evening Standard, City AM, and Daily Mail emphasised business rates and tax concerns, with City AM and the Daily Mail warning that further tax rises could damage the High Street and cost of doing business.

    Sentiment

    Across right-leaning outlets · 3 articles

The data behind

Business Rates

Where Your £100 Comes From

For every £100 the government collects in tax, this shows where it comes from. Most people assume income tax does the heavy lifting, and they are right. Income tax and National Insurance together account for nearly half of everything the government raises. The rest comes from what you spend, what businesses earn and what you own.

per £100£100
  • Income Tax£30
  • National Insurance£18
  • VAT£17
  • Corporation Tax£8
  • Council Tax£5
  • Business Rates£3
  • Fuel Duty£2
  • Other taxes£17

Source: Office for National Statistics / HMRC

Coverage: UK

  • Asylum Seeker Distribution

    Trending · Society

    Asylum Seeker Distribution

    4 articles across 3 outlets · news sources analysed by AI, figures counted from the coverage

    Sentiment

    Across all Trend monitored news outlets · 4 articles

  • Asylum Seeker Distribution

    Trending · Society

    Asylum Seeker Distribution

    The Prime Minister said asylum seekers should be dispersed across all parts of the country, not just poorer areas, after opposing a proposed migrant camp in Oxfordshire.

  • Data

    Asylum

    People applying for asylum in the United Kingdom set against the initial decisions made on those claims each year. When applications outpace decisions, the backlog of people waiting for an outcome grows, along with the cost of supporting them; when decisions catch up, it falls.

    93,52511.9%2025/26
    2020/212025/26

    See this and every other society figure Trend holds on the Society board.

  • Centre

    Summary

    The BBC reported Burnham's statement that wealthier areas should contribute to housing asylum seekers, framing it as a response to dispersal concentration in poorer communities.

    Sentiment

    Across centre outlets · 1 article

  • Right

    Summary

    The Daily Mail and The Spectator emphasised the scope of potential dispersal across affluent areas and villages, and contextualised Burnham's remarks alongside recent migrant arrival figures.

    Sentiment

    Across right-leaning outlets · 3 articles

The data behind

Asylum Seeker Distribution

Asylum

People applying for asylum in the United Kingdom set against the initial decisions made on those claims each year. When applications outpace decisions, the backlog of people waiting for an outcome grows, along with the cost of supporting them; when decisions catch up, it falls. It reflects both the flow of claims and the Home Office's capacity to process them.

0k20k40k60k80k100k120kpeople20052010201520202025
ApplicationsInitial decisions
ConservativeLabourCoalition

Source: Home Office

Coverage: UK