THE government was accused of adopting far-right policies demonising refugees today, after Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed it is reviewing how international human rights laws apply to migration cases.

Speaking ahead of a 40-nation summit in London today and tomorrow, Ms Cooper said ministers are examining the application of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which protects the right to family life.

Article 8 has been used in legal challenges to prevent the deportation of migrants.

Reports have suggested in recent weeks that Britain may follow Denmark’s lead by taking a tougher stance on how the right to family life is applied.

Asked if she could confirm reports by BBC programme Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Ms Cooper said: “Well, we continue to support international law.

“That is really important, and it’s because we support international law that we’ve managed to get new agreements with France and Germany.

“There have been some cases that do raise some real significant concerns, and that is also about the way in which the immigration asylum system operates.”

But she said that the application of international law was relevant, “including of Article 8.”

“So we are reviewing all of this area to make sure that, really, the immigration asylum system works effectively in the way that Parliament meant it to and make sure that there is a sort of proper sense of control in the system,” she said.

A spokesperson for left Labour campaign Momentum said: “This is another outrageous example of the Labour government adopting the policies of the far right, demonising refugees and migrants and riding roughshod over human rights and due process.”

Social media commentators questioned how much lower could Labour go, with one X user saying: “Labour are questioning human rights now!”

Professor Stephen Whittle, of campaign group Press for Change, wrote: “History tells us that the more you try to appease the right, the more power you give them.”

Another user wrote: “Politicians picking and choosing who gets to have human rights is the start of a government sliding into something (even more) appalling.

“They have to apply universally or they’re pointless.”

Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union general secretary Fran Heathcote said: “The home secretary is obviously looking for ways to bring down the number of small boat crossings.

“PCS can help. Our members are the first port of call for dealing with the crossings and the government can learn from their experiences.

“The answer is to adopt, or at the very least trial, our Safe Routes policy, based on the Ukrainian style-visa system of  assessing claims after people have arrived in the UK.

“It would destroy smuggling gangs overnight by taking away the need for refugees to take risks crossing the Channel, reducing crossings to almost zero.

“We stand ready to assist.”

The summit will bring together ministers and enforcement staff from countries including Albania, Vietnam and Iraq — many linked to major migration routes into Britain.

Discussions will focus on people-smuggling supply chains, criminal finances and online adverts for smuggling services.

A record number of people have arrived in Britain after crossing the English Channel so far this year.

The government is also expanding right-to-work checks to cover casual, temporary workers in amendments to the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill.

The legislation is continuing through Parliament, with plans to introduce new criminal offences and hand counter-terror-style powers to police and enforcement agencies to crack down on people-smuggling gangs.

Campaigners have previously condemned the use of such powers against vulnerable migrants fleeing for their lives.

The addition announced today would widen the right-to-work scheme for gig economy workers not currently covered by existing laws.

Liable businesses could be fined up to £60,000, or face closures, director disqualifications and even up to five years in prison, if checks are not carried out.

Ms Cooper told the BBC employers need to “take action that prevents the illegal working in the first place.”

She said: “We’ve had a 40 per cent increase in illegal working raids since the election.

“So some of the changes that we’ve made that are having an impact already is a 20 per cent increase in returns, over 19,000 people returned who have no right to be in the UK, and then also a nearly 40 per cent increase in illegal working raids and arrests.

“But we need to do more because this is not reaching the gig economy where employers don’t have to do eligibility for work checks. You can end up with criminal gangs promising people illegal work, just as they then take their money.”

Speaking to The Times newspaper, Ms Cooper also signalled she wanted to crack down on the number of people who have arrived in Britain on a student or work visa who have since claimed asylum.