The Conservatives have pledged to automatically reject claims from asylum seekers caught doing illegally work and deport them to their country of origin or to a safe third country.
The policy would apply to previous applicants, with successful asylum seekers found to have worked illegally stripped of citizenship or leave to remain.
Shadow Home Secretary, Chris Philp, previously wrote to Deliveroo, Just Eat, Uber Eats and the Home Secretary calling for a crackdown on illegal workers operating in the gig economy.
His demands included immediate enforcement against companies found to be failing their legal duty to verify their employees right to work, removing illegal workers from gig platforms, and action to stop illegal workers from operating from taxpayer funded asylum accomodation.
Asylum seekers allegedly working illegally for companies like Uber Eats and Deliveroo were at the centre of controversy in June when Philp, found equipment like branded bags and bicycles outside a migrant hotel.
Further controversy arose during a protest outside a migrant hotel in Canary Warf, East London, when two motorbike drivers were blocked by protesters under the assumption they were illegal delivery riders when they were legal employees of the hotel.
Later in the day an Uber Eats cyclist was surrounded by protesters and called an “illegal” by protesters while legally delivering food to the hotel, eventually being escorted to safety by police.
Last month, the Home Secretary announced a new agreement with delivery firms to share the locations of migrant hotels in a bid to crack down on illegal operations from them, helping firms to close illegal worker’s accounts.
Speaking on the agreement, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Illegal working undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime.
“By enhancing our data sharing with delivery companies, we are taking decisive action to close loopholes and increase enforcement.
A Deliveroo spokesperson said: “Deliveroo has led the sector in introducing security measures to prevent the abuse of our platform and tackle the sophisticated criminals seeking new ways to exploit all delivery platforms’ systems.
“We are fully committed to working with the government as we continue to collectively combat illegal working.”
The Conservatives claim that the agreement fails to “punish offenders or close loopholes” like account sharing.
Instead, the party aims to create a “common-sense” plan to stop asylum seekers from working illegally.
Their proposals include making it clearer to asylum seakers that illegal working during their application prcess is a disqualifier in itself, as it is a criminal offence, and reclaiming the wages earned from illegal work to cover the costs of housing and supporting them.
This policy would apply retrospectively, stripping citizenship or leave to remain from any successful asylum applicant if they were working illegally during their claim period.
Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Conservative Party, said: “This is a loophole that rewards illegality, protects perpetrators, and mocks hard-working taxpayers.
“If you come here illegally, take advantage of our asylum system, and then break our laws by illegally working – your asylum claim must be rejected, and you should be on the next plane home.
“Under my leadership, the Conservatives will never allow Britain to become a soft touch for those who think they can break the rules and profit from it.”
Chris Philp said: “When I visited an asylum hotel, what I saw shocked me – a taxpayer-funded base of operations for an underground courier cartel operating right under this government’s nose.
“Illegal working is a pull factor sold by smugglers as a reward to break into our country and cross the Channel. That is why we are calling for new action – anyone who plays the system should have their status stripped, wages confiscated, and be deported.”
Featured image via MikeDotta / Shutterstock.
