Ministers attack small boat ‘asylum shoppers’ as Tories row over migration bill

Suella Braverman doubles down on claim small boats criminals linked to ‘heightened levels of criminality’

Conservative ministers have doubled down on their attacks on small boat migrants – accusing those arriving from across the English Channel of being “asylum shoppers” with “values at odds with our country”.

Home secretary Suella Braverman said those coming to Britain in small boats had “heightened levels of criminality” – including drug dealing and prostitution – but failed to provide any evidence for the claim.

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick said small boat arrivals were “essentially asylum shoppers”, as the Illegal Migration Bill cleared the Commons despite a tough time from Tory MPs concerned by the plan to detain and deport Channel migrants.