Bury North MP James Daly has raised concerns over the thousands of Albanians that have arrived in the country after crossing the English Channel.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, Mr Daly said 12,000 from the Eastern European country have crossing the Channel on boats this year. 

In a question to Home Secretary Suella Braverman, Mr Daly said there is "no reason for them to be here" and the country must ensure they are returned to Albania. 

Mr Daly said: “So far this year 12,000 Albanians have crossed the Channel illegally in small boats, 10,000 of those are adult single males.

“There is no reason for them to be here and we must follow the route of other European countries and ensure they are returned immediately to Albania.”

The figures came from last week’s session of the Home Affairs Select Committee, where members including Mr Daly questioned UK Border Force and Home Office officials on the situation in the Channel.

Border Force’s Clandestine Channel Threat Commander, Dan O’Mahoney, highlighted that the number of men mentioned represents between one and two percent of Albania’s male population aged 18 to 40.

It was also raised by Mr O’Mahoney that a large number were “deliberately gaming the system” by using the Modern Slavery Act to claim they were trafficked into the UK, despite many paying thousands for the journey across the Channel.

In response to Mr Daly, Ms Braverman said: “It needs a multi-faceted approach, deploying and operationalising the returns agreement that we have with Albania and ensuring that we take robust action against many people who are coming here from Albania with illegitimate aims.”

Ms Braverman, who has recounted her apology for errors that led to her initial resignation as Home Secretary a fortnight ago, has raised eyebrows for fiercely criticising the UK's immigration system.

She said: “Let’s be clear about what is really going on here: the British people deserve to know which party is serious about stopping the invasion on our Southern coast and which party is not.

“Some 40,000 people have arrived on the South coast this year alone. Many of them facilitated by criminal gangs, some of them actual members of criminal gangs.

“So let’s stop pretending that they are all refugees in distress. The whole country knows that is not true. It’s only the honourable members opposite who pretend otherwise.

“We need to be straight with the public. The system is broken. Illegal migration is out of control and too many people are interested in playing political parlour games, covering up the truth than solving the problem.”