More than 50 Tory MPs seek change to modern slavery laws to ease migrant crisis

Rishi Sunak has been urged by more than 50 Tory MPs to change modern slavery laws with emergency legislation in a bid to reduce small boat crossings of the Channel.

The Prime Minister was pressed by the group, including former cabinet ministers, to rapidly implement a “simple” change in the law to help tackle the issue.

They want changes to modern slavery laws to make it easier for people they believe are “bogus asylum seekers”, who say they are victims of trafficking, to be returned.

The demand comes as Mr Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman face pressure to prevent the crossings and improve the conditions which asylum seekers experience in the UK.

In a letter arranged by former Brexit secretary David Davis, the Tory backbenchers say that the Channel crossings are a “Gordian Knot that needs cutting with a simple policy”.

Signatories including Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers, demand that “economic migrants” travelling from “safe countries” such as Albania are returned more quickly.

Downing Street declined to comment on the letter, but said the Prime Minister is considering the issue of people coming from nations regarded as safe.

“On this issue of people, whether it comes to modern slavery or indeed on people coming from safe countries to claim asylum, it is something we want to look at, but I’m not citing any specific response to this proposal,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman told reporters.

“We recognise that there are a number of countries which are deemed safe and people should not be travelling illegally from safe countries to make their way here.”

He also said: “When people are repeatedly lodging illegitimate claims, when they’re manipulating the system, it is right that we tackle these abuses and as they detract from our ability to provide refuge to those in genuine need.”

The Tory signatories argue that “people claiming they have been unwilling victims of human trafficking or modern slavery” should be returned “to their homes in the villages from which they came from”.

The Tories argue “if they have really been taken against their will, then they could not reasonably object to being returned to their own homes”.

“The quirks in our modern slavery laws that prevent this are clearly in defiance of the aims of that law and should be removed,” they wrote.

They argue the “straightforward and legally workable way of addressing the crisis” would be a “very strong deterrent” for those planning to risk the perilous crossing.

Former Cabinet ministers Dr Liam Fox and Esther McVey, and longest-serving MP Sir Peter Bottomley, also signed the letter, which demonstrates nerves among the Conservative that failing to tackle the issue will hurt them at the ballot box.

A Government spokeswoman responded: “We have made clear that there is no one single solution to stop the increase in dangerous crossings.

“We have also made clear that we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to deter illegal migration.

“We are expediting the removal of individuals by agreeing tailored bilateral returns agreements with partners like Albania, elevating it to a key priority for our foreign policy.”

Ms Braverman has come under fire over the dire conditions in the Manston migrant processing centre, the site in Kent where one man under detention died of diphtheria.

She is also facing criticism for failing to slow the perilous crossings of the English Channel by people in small boats.

This week she admitted the Government has “failed to control our borders” but blamed desperate migrants and people smugglers for the overcrowding in Manston.

“I tell you who’s at fault. It’s very clear who’s at fault. It’s the people who are breaking our rules, coming here illegally, exploiting vulnerable people and trying to reduce the generosity of the British people. That’s who’s at fault,” she told MPs.

A Home Office source said Ms Braverman is “working flat out alongside the Prime Minister to bring in reforms to help stem the flow of migrants across the Channel”.