Fury has erupted over Labour’s plan to hand millions in legal aid to Channel migrants.

The Ministry of Justice is set to this week announce a major increase in legal aid funding for lawyers representing asylum seekers.

Officials believe this is crucial to slashing the backlog of appeals and closing down migrant hotels.

But critics blasted the plan, declaring it “makes a mockery of our already weak system”. Many fear the UK immigration system already offers too many incentives to those seeking to cross the Channel.

Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice MP: “This needs to be called out for what it is. This is a left wing Government funding lefty lawyers to game the legal system so that those who arrive here illegally can stay in the country.

“Those that come here illegally should not be allowed to remain in the country, for Labour to not only support this but fund it to the tune of millions makes a mockery of our already weak system.

“We should only be funding the legal deportation of illegal migrants, nothing else. Reform UK are clear, if you arrive in the country illegally, you will not be able to remain.”

Tory MP and former adviser to Theresa May, Nick Timothy, told the Daily Express: “The public want the Channel crossings stopped and illegal immigrants deported.

“Yet Labour’s latest big idea is to throw yet more public money at claimant lawyers who will do anything to keep illegal immigrants in the country.

“It says everything about their completely wrongheaded priorities.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “It’s outrageous that Labour is forking out extra cash for lawyers to represent asylum seekers, whilst hardworking taxpayers, pensioners, and business struggle to make ends meet.

“This move risks undermining public confidence in our asylum system, fast tracking claims and throwing money to lefty legal firms to boot.

“This government should focus on securing our borders and implementing the deterrent which the National Crime Agency said we needed to stop the boats, not incentivising lawyers with bumper payoffs to cover for their failures.”

Tens of thousands of migrants have been left in limbo because of a huge shortage in lawyers to represent them.

There were some 62,891 claims awaiting an outcome at the first-tier tribunal courts, where most asylum appeals are considered. This has more than doubled in a year.

And each appeal takes an average of 46 weeks, it has emerged.

Some asylum seekers are also choosing to represent themselves, leading to more drastic delays.

Lawyers receive a fixed fee of £413 to work on an initial asylum claim and then £52 an hour through the appeals process.

Some 37,450 asylum seekers were unable to obtain publicly funded representation last year. In 2020-21 the number was 6,245.

A government source told The Times: “We will increase money for legal aid above and beyond inflation to address the fact that it hasn’t kept up with inflation for years.”

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A Home Office source added: “The appeals are taking longer to be heard, which is a challenge to moving people out of the asylum system either on returns or out of accommodation.”

Another said the department could only go so far by focussing on the initial asylum backlog. “They’re no longer in our control but we still pay for the cost of the accommodation because their claims then get stuck in the appeals system,” they said.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The new government has inherited a justice system in crisis.

“We are committed to working with the legal profession to ensure the legal aid sector is on a sustainable footing, both now and in the future.

“We have conducted a review of the civil legal aid system and are carefully considering options for reform, including for immigration and asylum cases.”