Yvette Cooper MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, responding to reports that the government plans to tackle firms employing illegal migrants, said:

“If the government were really serious about tackling employers who are exploiting illegal working and immigration they should have supported Labour plans to extend gangmaster laws to new sectors, make serious exploitation of workers a criminal offence and strengthen enforcement of housing overcrowding. When they had the chance in the Commons to support these proposals they didn’t support them.

“Exploitation hurts everyone - those who are working hard and being exploited, other workers whose pay and jobs are undercut, and responsible employers who are undermined. Action to identify employers exploiting illegal working is important but the government should still do more to target serious exploitation and undercutting, some of which is effectively modern slavery - they should extend the Gangmasters’ Licencing Authority and make exploitation a crime.”

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