'Soft touch orders on migrants are charter for fraud and abuse'

HOME Office officials must not be sceptical when quizzing asylum seekers to uphold Britain's "soft touch" approach to migrants, leaked official guidance reveals.

- Steph Spyro

Staff are told they cannot reject the testimony of a migrant caught lying and are urged to let them explain "inconsistencies" in their story.

It is also "forbidden" to ask questions about "sexual preferences or activity" if they claim to be fleeing persecution due to sexual orientation.

Former Brexit secretary David Davis slammed the guidance as a "formula for failure".

Incompetence

He predicted Britons would be "horrified" by the revelations, which he said indicated "startling incompetence" at the Home Office.

The senior Tory MP said: "It really is hard to understand who on earth devised these guidelines and what they expected to achieve, in terms of controlling illegal migration into the country.