Nail bars and car washes to be targeted in summer immigration raids

Nail bars and car washes will be targeted by immigration officers as they step up enforcement action over the summer, the home secretary has announced.

Yvette Cooper said 1,000 civil servants working on the now-abandoned Rwanda scheme will staff a new “returns and enforcement programme”.

Writing in the Sun on Sunday, she said the programme will “increase returns of those with no right to be here and to make sure rules are respected and enforced”.

Raids on businesses suspected of employing illegal workers will be ramped up.

Labour made border security one of its top priorities in government and has already taken steps to establish the Border Security Command promised in its manifesto.

Sir Keir Starmer also used this week’s European Political Community summit to discuss migration with European leaders, and signalled he may consider offshore processing of migrants.

He was criticised for scrapping the Rwanda scheme on his first day in office, with opponents arguing it provided a necessary deterrent to those seeking to make the crossing.

Elsewhere in Westminster, pensions are being targeted by the chancellor.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Rachel Reeves said: “Not only is the current system not delivering the retirement savings it should be, but it is not doing what it should to support some of our great British businesses.”

She has launched an “urgent review” of the pensions market so it can “deliver a better return for savers and ensure successful businesses can get the funding they need to grow, invest and spread prosperity across the UK”.

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As part of its first package of proposed laws, the government announced last week a new Pensions Schemes Bill which would seek to encourage consolidation of smaller pension schemes and broaden investment strategies.

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“The review we are announcing is the latest in a ‘big bang’ of reforms to unlock growth, boost investment and deliver savings for pensioners,” Ms Reeves said.

“I am determined to fix the foundations of our economy.”

Watch Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips as he speaks to the Treasury Minister James Murray and Tees Valley Mayor Lord Houchen from 8.30am.