Ministers say UK will only detain child refugees in ‘exceptional circumstances’

Home Office pledge follows threats of Tory backbench rebellion against controversial illegal migration bill

Ministers have pledged to only detain refugee children in “exceptional circumstances” under a new asylum bill after threats of a rebellion from backbench Conservative MPs.

The Home Office confirmed it would put forward a further amendment to the illegal migration bill limiting the amount of time an unaccompanied child can be held.