RISHI Sunak told the Commons “Enough is enough” as he unveiled new measures to curb Channel crossings and tackle the backlog of asylum claims.

The prime minister said, “unless we act now and decisively, this will only get worse” as he announced plans to establish a new “small boats operational command”.

They will be dedicated to tackling small boat journeys to the UK.

He also pledged to clear the number of asylum claims awaiting a decision by the end of 2023 and announced plans to fast-track the removal of Albanian migrants as he faced pressure to address the migrant crisis.

Border Force officers will be embedded at Tirana airport under a new agreement with Albania, Mr Sunak added.

Home Office figures from September showed there were more than 143,000 asylum seekers waiting for a decision on their claims, while nearly 100,000 had been waiting more than six months.

More than 44,000 people have crossed the Channel this year, Government figures show.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “I said enough is enough, and I mean it. And that means I am prepared to do what must be done. So early next year we will introduce new legislation to make unambiguously clear that if you enter the UK illegally, you should not be able to remain here.

“Instead you will be detained and swiftly returned, either to your home country, or to a safe country where your asylum claim will be considered. And you will no longer be able to frustrate removal attempts with late or spurious claims or appeals.

“And once removed, you should have no right to re-entry, settlement or citizenship. And furthermore, if our reforms on Albania are challenged in the courts, we will also put them on a statutory footing to ensure the UK’s treatment of Albanian arrivals is no different to that of Germany or France.

“The only way to come to the UK for asylum will be through safe and legal routes, and as we get a grip of illegal migration, we will create more of the those routes.

“We will work with the UNHCR to identify those most in need so the UK remains a safe haven for the most vulnerable.

“And we will introduce an annual quotes on numbers set by Parliament, in consultation with local authorities to determine our capacity and amendable in the face of humanitarian emergencies.”