KEIR Starmer is making it easier for illegal migrants to become British citizens as he is slammed for "total capitulation". The Home Office is repealing rules put in place by the Tories which previously meant those arriving on small boats could almost never become UK Citizens.
The original legislation blocked illegal migrants from obtaining citizenship and subjected them to age checks. It also allowed ministers to treat asylum seekers refusing scientific age checks as adults. Both of these are to be redacted according to the small print of a bill published last week, The Telegraph reports.
The shadow home secretary has described the move as making "the UK the soft touch of Europe". Home Office ministers claim the written legislation proposed in the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill should help tackle the small boats crisis. The former Tory law was only voted through Parliament in and some Government sources claim the powers have never been used since they were passed. Part of the previous legislation stated that almost anyone entering illegally was ineligible for settled status.
While another clause of the same bill made it clear that those refusing scientific age assessment could be treated as over It comes as nearly 50 migrants were brought to Dover yesterday. Following a period of stormy weather, 47 arrived in one boat, according to a BBC reporter posting on X. Chris Philp told The Telegraph: "It will lead to dangerous young men being placed with teenage girls and makes the UK the soft touch of Europe. He is weak on borders and is weak when it comes to protecting our borders, our children and our people.
Labour 's watering down has brought about fears that smugglers may advise migrants to claim they are minors. Last year, more than illegal migrants were caught pretending to be under 18, after their cases were flagged by officials. According to Home Office figures, three quarters of unaccompanied minors were granted asylum compared with half of adults in the year up to last September.
