SNP label task force targeting ‘crooked immigration lawyers’ as ‘latest inhumane and cruel’ policy from UK Government

It comes after reports some laywers are offering to submit false asylum claims for a fee.

The SNP have labelled a new task force targeting “crooked immigration lawyers” as the latest “inhumane and cruel” policy from the UK Government.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has vowed to step up efforts to bring legal professionals to justice following reports false asylum claims are being submitted for a fee.

The Home Office said the unit will bring together regulatory bodies, law enforcement teams and other Government departments to take action against advocates found to be deceiving the courts.

Campaigners outside Portland Port in Dorset before the first asylum seekers arrive to board the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge.

It comes after the Daily Mail reported that a number of solicitors agreed to help an undercover journalist posing as an economic migrant submit a false application in exchange for thousands of pounds.

Now the SNP has accused the Home Secretary of using asylum seekers to further its “culture war”.

Stuart McDonald MP, the SNP spokesperson for Justice and Immigration, said: “This announcement by the UK government is the latest in a long line of inhumane and cruel policies that create a hostile environment for asylum seekers.

“The Tories are using this announcement as part of their divisive culture war, with the victims being asylum seekers and refugees - many of whom have survived devastating conflict, famine, political or religious persecution.

“The UK government must approach all asylum seekers and refugees with compassion and empathy, offering protection and security from the moment they arrive here.

“However, the inability of the UK government to do so proves once again the need for Scotland to have the full powers of independence so that we can build a humane and dignified asylum system, which prioritises the safety and wellbeing of refugees and asylum seekers.”

The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) prohibits lawyers from deceiving courts, and any act of dishonesty or lack of integrity may result in them being struck off.

Speaking about the task force, Ms Braverman said: “Crooked immigration lawyers must be rooted out and brought to justice.

“While the majority of lawyers act with integrity, we know that some are lying to help illegal migrants game the system. It is not right or fair on those who play by the rules.

“The British people want us to put an end to illegal migration – I am determined to crack down on these immoral lawyers and stop the boats.”

However, the Law Society, which represents solicitors in England and Wales, said the necessary powers are already in place to deal with immigration advisers engaged in misconduct.

It added that the Home Office is focusing on a “tiny minority of lawyers” rather than “significant” asylum claim backlogs and “the unworkability of the Illegal Migration Act”.

The Home Office said the Professional Enablers Taskforce, for which there is no new funding, has been carrying out preliminary work over the past few months.

This has included the development of a new training package for frontline staff who work in the immigration system to help them identify and report suspect activity, according to the department.

The maximum sentence for assisting unlawful migration is already life imprisonment under the Immigration Act 1971.

The announcement comes after the first 15 migrants boarded the Bibby Stockholm barge, with others being granted a last-minute reprieve after a series of legal challenges.