CLEVERLY: LABOUR HAS HUNG A HUGE 'OPEN' SIGN ON WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER

SENIOR Tories accused Labour of taking "the people smugglers' side" by making the UK more attractive to migrants.

- Michael Knowles

James Cleverly said the new Prime Minister had erected a "huge 'Open' sign on the white cliffs of Dover" after axing the Rwanda deportation scheme and signalling Channel migrants will be allowed to claim asylum again.

The Shadow Home Secretary told the Daily Express: "Labour granted an amnesty in 2003, and now they're teeing up to do it again. The people smugglers will be rubbing their hands with glee.

"It took Labour less than five days to abolish the Rwanda deterrent and allow 100,000 illegal migrants to apply for asylum - all of whom were excluded under the Conservatives.

They have rapidly made the UK the top destination for illegal migrants by hanging a huge 'Open' sign on the white cliffs of Dover."

He added: "Too scared to be tough on migration, [PM Sir Keir] Starmer and [Home Secretary Yvette] Cooper have taken the people smugglers' side."

Asked if those migrants reaching the UK by small boats would have the right to claim asylum, Sir Keir's official spokesman replied: "We need to ensure that people who arrive here are processed so that people are not sitting in the system, housed in expensive taxpayer-funded

hotels as they have been under previous administrations."

Mr Cleverly's predecessor Dame Priti Patel told the Express: "Labour have already opened up our borders, defying the wishes of the British people.