Exclusive: Thinktank’s findings undermine successive home secretaries’ statements about misuse of system in England and Wales
Asylum seekers are not abusing the modern slavery system in a widespread manner, according to a report from a centre-right thinktank that undermines statements from successive home secretaries.
The report from Bright Blue finds limited evidence that asylum seekers are falsely claiming to have been the victims of modern slavery to stay in the country, despite several home secretaries blaming the system for stopping them deporting more people.
The findings also suggest that promises by the current home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, to change modern slavery rules will have limited success in reducing the number of asylum claimants. She is expected to set out her proposals early next year.
The authors, however, do suggest a new system focused on earlier detection of modern slavery as a way to eliminate the limited amount of abuse that they say does occur.
