Chris Philp, the policing minister, said the number of people entering the UK illegally was “overwhelming” and the immigration system was struggling to cope. He told Times Radio: “At this point in terms of human rights, I mean look, it’s very, very difficult to accommodate 40,000 people who turn up illegally in a very short period of time. “Obviously the Home Office is doing its best to accommodate them, but if some people choose to enter a country illegally and needlessly, it’s a bit cheeky to start complaining about the conditions when you’ve entered a country illegally without needing to.” The comments, which are likely to spark a backlash, come as the government remains under intense pressure over the state of the overcrowded asylum processing center at Manston in Kent. Follow the latest updates below.
