FACTORY workers have been “robbed of tens of millions in wages” in just a few months, Home Secretary Priti Patel was told yesterday in a call for urgent action against labour exploitation.

Garment makers have been denied £27 million in earnings since July, according to the British Retail Consortium, which has joined forces with SNP MP Lisa Cameron, chairwoman of the all-party parliamentary group on textiles and fashion, to write to Ms Patel.

Their intervention comes months after a joint letter, signed by more than 50 cross-party MPs and peers as well as 40 more retailers, investors and NGOs, was sent in July.

The first letter called on ministers to introduce a “fit to trade” licensing scheme for garment factories in Britain.