Fresh blow for Keir Starmer’s France migrant deal as legal challenges launched | Politics | News

A group of Channel migrants are trying to avoid deportation to France by taking legal action against Shabana Mahmood’s modern slavery reforms.

The Home Secretary has vowed to change the laws after asylum seekers took advantage of loopholes to stay in the UK.

But today a new group of 16 people will argue that Ms Mahmood’s reforms are unlawful.

The cases are expected to focus on whether France’s obligations under key human rights treaties apply to foreign nationals and whether a key provision to limit appeals is legal.

Home Office sources said the ministry would “fight” the allegations, which will be heard in the Court of Appeal.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said: “The government’s so-called one-for-one out policy has always been a ruse, as have its ridiculous claims to crack down on gangs.

“Last year they accepted 41,000 illegal Channel immigrants and took only 300 to France.

“This is no deterrent. No wonder illegal Channel crossings have increased by 42% since the election.”

“And now even this trick faces legal challenges.

“We need to abandon the ECHR and the modern slavery treaty, then every illegal immigrant can be deported within a week of arrival without any fuss.”

Home Affairs Minister Shabana Mahmood revealed last week that only 305 migrants had been returned to France since the scheme became operational in August.

And within days, immigrants began making modern slavery claims to avoid deportation.

Ms Mahmood responded by overhauling modern slavery laws, putting much greater scrutiny on 11th-hour claims.

The Home Office is also removing the “reassessment” mechanism for all countries that have signed the European Convention on Human Rights and the Council of Europe Convention to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings.

Border Security and Asylum Minister Alex Norris said: “Breaking allegations of modern slavery should never be used to prevent illegal immigrants from being deported.

“The government will fight any legal efforts in the courts to prevent these people from being deported or deported. These cases are exactly why we need to reform our laws to stop these last-minute claims and restore order and control at our border.”