The Labour Government has been accused of a “total capitulation” on illegal migration as its reported that they plan to soften border laws.
According to the Telegraph, The Home Office plans to repeal rules brought in by the Conservatives when they were in power.
The Tories had included a provision in the Illegal Migration Act (2023) that meant the vast majority of migrants who entered the UK illegally were not eligible for settled status or citizenship.
It also included a provision that meant asylum seekers could be treated as over 18 if they refused to take a scientific age assessment.
Conservative Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told the Telegraph that Labour risk making the UK the “soft-touch of Europe.”
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp (Image: Getty)
He said: “It will lead to dangerous young men being placed with teenage girls and makes the UK the soft touch of Europe.
“Starmer is a weak Prime Minister. He is weak on borders and is weak when it comes to protecting our borders, our children and our people.
“I will fight tooth and nail against this craven capitulation to illegal immigrants and people smugglers when the Bill comes to Parliament.”
However, a Government source hit back at the criticism, saying the Tories failed to control immigration during their time in office.
They said: “Labour will continue to use age assessment and won’t hesitate to go further in legislation if needed.”
A Home Office spokesman added: “The new Border Security Asylum and Immigration Bill introduces workable measures to strengthen cross-system, operational efforts to tighten border security, enhance upstream work with international partners and help ensure a properly functioning, secure immigration system.
“The Illegal Migration Act has largely not been commenced (including this measure on age assessments); nor will it be under this Government’s policy which focuses on delivering long-term, credible policies that restore order to the asylum system.
“We have robust processes in place to verify and assess an individual’s age where there is doubt, including the National Age Assessment Board, and have maintained the provisions on scientific assessments from the Nationality & Borders Act 2022.”
Despite previous government’s promises to reduce net-immigration, the figure for the year ending June 2023 was 906,000 net arrivals.
In the year ending June 2024, net migration was 728,000.
