Philp is abused and branded 'racist' as he confronts migrants in filthy 'shanty town'

SHADOW Home Secretary Chris Philp was harassed and called “racist” when he visited an illegal migrant camp next to one of Britain’s most exclusive addresses.

- By Martyn Brown, Zak Garner-Purkis and Jon King

Mr Philp endured a tirade of abuse inside the squalid “tent city” in Central London’s affluent Park Lane, where around 30 people, mainly Eastern European migrants, have been living.

Yesterday’s ugly scenes in the “shanty town” came as Tory Mr Philp raised fears that the Government will water down police powers to clear such camps.

He said: “What concerns me is the Government are about to change the law. They're about to repeal legislation that gives the police powers to move people on.

“[Deputy PM] Angela Rayner is going to repeal that legislation imminently without putting in any replacement legislation.”

The filthy Park Lane camp, opposite the Hilton Hotel and yards from Hyde Park, has existed on and off for the past seven years.

Transport for London took enforcement action five weeks ago, but most of the camp remained in place last night. Standing yards away from where migrants defecate in the grass and bushes, Mr Philp praised the Daily Express’s efforts to press London’s Labour mayor Sir Sadiq Khan into taking action.

He said: “I think the public would expect enforcement action against this kind of encampment to be taken quickly, not after five weeks.