Migrant crackdown ‘coming next week’

NEW laws to tackle the small boats crisis are due to be unveiled next week as Rishi Sunak aims to capitalise on the ‘momentum’ from his Brexit breakthrough.

The long-awaited measures, provisionally titled the Illegal Migration Bill, will set out a wide range of tough laws to combat arrivals across the Channel.

The Bill is expected to be published ahead of a summit between the Prime Minister and French president Emmanuel Macron on Friday. ‘There is now a political imperative to seize upon the opportunities that have been provided by the Northern Ireland Protocol,’ a source said.

‘The momentum is such that details of the small boats Bill are likely to be agreed in government very quickly. Ministers want to sort it and get it done.’

Home Secretary Suella Braverman is expected to spend this weekend finalising the details.

It came as Home Office figures revealed that modern slavery claims reached a record high last year – boosted by an 84 per cent surge in Albanians claiming.

There were 16,938 modern slavery claims in 2022 – up 33 per cent on the previous year. Of those, 4,613 were from Albanian nationals.

There is widespread concern that modern slavery laws are being exploited by migrants who arrive here illegally to delay being removed from the country.