Former PM attacks Govt’s Illegal Migration Bill saying it allows ‘slave drivers to make more money out of human misery’.

Former Prime Minister, and advocate for modern slavery victims has criticised the Government on its Illegal Migration Bill and its limited protection for victims of modern slavery.

The purpose of the Bill is for the “swift detention and removal” of people illegally entering the UK, and to send them back to their country of origin or a third country, such as Rwanda.

On Tuesday afternoon, MPs spent four hours debating amendments made by Peers in the House of Lords the day before.

Peers were concerned with the Bill’s proposed treatment of women, children, people from the LGBT+ community, and victims of modern slavery.

In response, the Government announced new amendments to be voted on. The Bill was left unchanged but not without many high-profile Tory MPs, including former Prime Minister Theresa May arguing against it.

May has campaigned to tackle modern slavery in the UK for many years and says this Bill “would enable more slave drivers to… make money out of human misery” and “consign more people to slavery.”

Mrs May welcomed some of the changes from the Government but made it clear that she wants “support to continue for the victims of modern slavery in the UK after commencement of the Bill.”

She urged the Government to support amendment 56 from the Lords, which sought to ensure victims of modern slavery would not be detained and removed from the UK.

"This Bill has been marketed as a 'stop the boats' bill. We all want to stop the boats, nobody wants to see people risking their lives in small boats across the Channel.

"But this bill is not just written to stop the boats. It covers all illegal migration. And its unwritten subtext is the 'stop certain victims' claims of modern slavery' bill, not stop false claims of modern slavery, but stop all claims full stop, and that is where I depart from the government."

May continues by sharing a theoretical situation of a woman "persuaded" to come to the UK "for a great job and wonderful life together", ending up trafficked into prostitution and unaware that the paperwork used to gain her entry to the UK was put together through illegal means.

"Under this bill, she would get no support. The government's response would be, 'we don't care that you've been in slavery in the UK, we don't care that you have been in a living hell, we don't care that you have been the victim of crime.

"'We do care that you came here illegally, even though you probably didn't know it, so we are going to detain you and send you home, even if it is into the arms of the very people who trafficked you here in the first place, or we want to send you to Rwanda'."

However, Amendment 56 was rejected by MPs by 285 votes to 243.