IMPOSING new border restrictions on European migrants after a no-deal Brexit would “make Windrush look like a minor blip,” Diane Abbott warned today.

The shadow home secretary said that Home Secretary Priti Patel’s pledge to abruptly end freedom of movement of labour between European Union countries and Britain would “create chaos” and will put British nationals in Europe at risk.

It was widely reported last week that Ms Patel, who replaced Sajid Javid as home secretary in July, wants to immediately impose hard borders if Britain leaves the EU without any agreement with the economic bloc.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Ms Abbott said: “I think it’s going to create chaos.

“It’s going to be very problematic for business, but it’s going to be very difficult for EU nationals.

“There are currently three million here altogether.

“One million have registered for settled status, there’s no possibility of two million registering between now and October 31, and then those EU nationals that were here but haven’t registered for settled status will be in the exact same position as the Windrush people.

“There will be people that came here perfectly legally, but will not have the paperwork to prove that and will have all sorts of problems with employers and the NHS and so on.”

She added that PM Boris Johnson’s handling of the situation will make the 2018 Windrush scandal, where at least 83 people were wrongly deported from Britain, “look like a minor blip.”

Royal College of Midwives general secretary Gill Walton said: “Over 1,000 midwives working in the NHS are citizens of other EU countries.

“Together they provide care for tens of thousands of mothers every year.

“We should treat those people with respect, and frankly gratitude for the care they provide.

“If the UK is to leave the EU it must do so sensibly and, above all else, EU citizens who have made this country their home should be treated with dignity, fairness and respect.”

Speaking at the Business and Technology Centre in Stevenage, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “Priti Patel has announced that freedom of movement here in every form will end on October 31. It is an utterly ludicrous position she has adopted.

“Does that mean that when an EU national living in this country …  goes home to see their family in Germany or the Czech Republic or wherever else, they are not allowed back into this country? Is this another Windrush, on steroids? It is a ludicrous proposal.

“I’d just say to Priti Patel: cut the nonsense, and don’t impose this again,” he said.