Polly has voted in favour of the government new border security bill, which will introduce new counterterrorism-style powers to target organised smuggling gangs and seize their devices.

The bill will also introduce new biometric checks to block entry to the UK for people with criminal records, and enforce a crackdown on the buying and selling of boats and boat parts for use in people smuggling.

Reform and the Conservatives voted against the bill.

In January it was revealed that since Labour came to power, using the money saved from cancelling the failed Rwanda scheme and investing instead in 1000 new immigration enforcement officials, the government had delivered the highest rate of removals of immigration offenders since 2018, with a surge in activity since the election leading to 16,400 people with no right to be in the UK being removed.

Since Labour won the general election, enforced returns are up 24% compared to the same 12 months prior and Britain’s streets have been made safer with the removal of 2,580 foreign criminals – a 23% increase on last year. Individuals removed since the election include criminals convicted of drug offences, theft, rape, and murder.