Slavery laws one of ‘ biggest loopholes’ in border crisis

MODERN slavery laws have become one of the biggest loopholes in Britain’s border controls and must be reformed, a former immigration minister has warned.

Conservative MP Chris Philp said measures introduced by Theresa May when she was home secretary are being exploited by immigration lawyers.

In some cases, lawyers even submit ‘copy-and-paste claims for different clients without bothering to change the details’, Mr Philp said.

‘I saw case after case where serious foreign criminals – including sadistic rapists and brutal murderers – used last-minute modern slavery claims to prevent deportation,’ he added. ‘This often followed years of repeated asylum and human rights claims that were eventually dismissed by the courts.’ Channel migrants ‘routinely’ go on to make claims under the legislation – temporarily preventing the authorities from removing or deporting them – ‘despite having told officers on arrival... that they were not a modern slavery victim.’

Mr Philp wrote in The Daily Telegraph: ‘The UK’s modern slavery laws have inadvertently turned into one of the biggest loopholes in our immigration system.’ A Home Office source said a review of the Act would raise the threshold of proof required under modern slavery laws and limit the number of claims.

Senior Home Office sources said ministers are ‘determined to reform’ the act, but proposals are believed to have been postponed due to the Conservative leadership contest.

There were 4,171 modern slavery claims from April to June this year, the highest figure since the scheme began in 2009.