Cheltenham MP and Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk is calling for sanctions to be used against unscrupulous lawyers.

Mr Chalk has written to the chair of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) to call for the "full force of sanctions" to be used against lawyers found guilty of breaching their professional obligations.

It follows an investigation by the Daily Mail which showed alleged wrongdoing by lawyers appearing to offer ways for potential clients to mislead immigration officials in exchange for payment.

While the vast majority of lawyers are upstanding individuals who work to the spirit and the letter of the law, Mr Chalk said anyone found guilty of abusing their position as legal professionals should face the consequences imposed by the independent regulator.

This is vital to ensuring that unscrupulous individuals do not undermine public trust in the immigration system.

In his letter to the SRA, Mr Chalk wrote: "I would strongly encourage you to use the full force of sanctions available to you against solicitors where there is a finding of a breach.

"Solicitors are critical to the operation of a fair immigration system. I know that the overwhelming majority take their professional duties and obligations extremely seriously.

"However, any examples of practices which fall short of the high ethical standards we expect of solicitors risk serious disruption to the immigration system, tarnishing the reputation of those working in this area, and critically undermining public confidence."

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