LONDON (Reuters) –

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government will retain a ban on asylum seekers being able to claim protections under modern slavery and other human rights laws, despite previous criticisms from its ministers.

Starmer faces pressure to address the influx of tens of thousands of individuals arriving in the UK each year via small boats, a significant concern for British voters. He had promised in last year’s election campaign to “smash the gangs” responsible for people smuggling.

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, introduced to parliament on Thursday, will empower the police to seize the mobile phones of asylum seekers to help track people smugglers and to target suspects supplying parts used in small boats that transport people to England.

The Labour Party, which came to power in July, also intends to keep elements of legislation from the prior Conservative government that disqualify asylum seekers from using modern slavery laws to contest removal decisions and allow for the detention of child asylum seekers for up to 28 days.

Labour had opposed these measures when they were passed in 2023. Starmer remarked at the time that denying asylum seekers modern slavery protections would “drive a coach and horses” through safeguards for women trafficked to Britain.

Jess Phillips, currently a junior interior minister, stated in 2023 that the legislation acted as a “traffickers’ dream” by concealing victims of modern slavery.

Starmer’s office and the interior ministry did not immediately respond to a comment request.

According to a YouGov tracker poll, immigration and asylum are the second most important issues to voters, following the economy and preceding health.

Government data revealed that 36,816 people arrived in Britain via small boats last year, a 25% increase from 29,437 in 2023. This statistic marks 2024 as the second-highest year for arrivals since data was first gathered in 2018.

Concerns over immigration were a primary factor in Britain’s 2016 decision to leave the European Union, yet successive governments have struggled to reduce both legal and illegal migration.