Small boats plan ‘racist’, says ex-Home Office adviser as Theresa May joins backlash

Nimco Ali attacks asylum crackdown, as Green MP Caroline Lucas rips up bill in parliamment

Rishi Sunak’s planned crackdown on migrants arriving by small boats is “heartless” and “racist”, a former Home Office advisor has said.

It comes as former Tory PM Theresa May joined the backlash against the bill – warning that modern slavery victims will be “collateral damage”.

Nimco Ali, who quit as an adviser on violence against women in December, condemned the government’s failure to open up safe and legal routes for refugees.