Natalie Elphicke met with the Home Secretary to discuss the continuing asylum seeker crisis.

The Dover MP spoke with Priti Patel immediately after Ms Patel's reinstatement in the Cabinet reshuffle.

It was also the day beforeMs Patel’s visit to Dover to view the problem first hand.

Mrs Elphicke said: “We discussed how important it is to bring the small boats crisis to an end. How it’s vital to tackle the criminality of the human trafficking gangs at source.

"As well as bringing in new powers for turnarounds at sea and processing claims in third countries.

“With around 15,000 people crossing already this year, enough is enough. We need to tackle the number of people breaking into Britain across the Channel and into Dover and our local beaches.

"Especially as the crossings will become ever more dangerous as we head into the winter months.”

Ms Patel had been in Dover with Border Force and immigration enforcement teams in a private meeting.

Another 174 suspected asylum seekers were rescued or intercepted in the Channel by Friday.

It meant by then at least 14,900 people had crossed to the UK on board small boats this year.

There has been controversy of Ms Patel's recent proposal to have asylum seeker vessels turned around in limited circumstances.

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