The Home Secretary will tell Tory supporters there is “no reason” for an asylum seeker to come to the UK from France as it is not a war-torn country.

In her speech to the Conservative Party conference today, Priti Patel will renew her pledge to control the flow of small boats crossing the channel as part of the UK Government’s New Plan for Immigration.

Ms Patel is also expected to address the issue of violence against women and girls and will describe Wayne Couzens as a “monster”.

Mr Couzens, a serving police officer, was convicted of raping and murdering Sarah Everard after pretending to arrest her in London last year.

Her death has sparked fears about women’s safety and about scrutiny of police officers.

On immigrants crossing the Channel, Ms Patel is expected to say wants to put a stop to “these horrific journeys” by securing Britain’s borders.

She is set to say: “France is a safe country, one not riven by war or conflict,” the Cabinet minister is set to say at the Manchester conference.

“There is no reason why any asylum seeker should come to the United Kingdom from France.

“We make no apology for securing our borders and exploring all possible options to save lives by ending these horrific journeys.”

Ms Patel will argue that clamping down on cross-Channel crossings will tackle the “greed” of the people smugglers who enable the migrants to make their journeys.

Since the start of the year, more than 17,000 migrants have succeeded in reaching the UK – double the figure for the whole of 2020.

Since the beginning of last year, more than 25,000 people have risked death crossing to the UK aboard dinghies, kayaks and other types of small boats.

But despite the sharp rise in the number of boats arriving on the south coast, asylum applications in the UK fell in 2020 to 29,456 – significantly lower than the 93,475 asylum applications made in France and the 121,955 made in Germany.

The Home Secretary will add: “What is happening in the Channel with small boats is unsafe, unfair, and unacceptable.

“From the vast camps outside Calais of mainly male, economic migrants, to the shocking images of people crammed onto flimsy boats crossing the Channel, exploited by people smugglers – vile criminals characterised by ruthlessness and greed, who even threaten to drown small children to line their pockets.”

Ms Patel will also discuss violence against women following the rape and murder of Sarah Everard.

She is expected to say: “I know all our thoughts remain with Sarah Everard’s family and friends.

“Her murderer, whose name I refuse to repeat, was a monster.

“His explicit intention was to instil fear and terror in women and girls. I say this as Home Secretary, but also as a woman. Such unconscionable crimes and acts of violence against women and girls have no place in our society.”