Britain’s prison population will be forced to work in chain gangs on farms after new immigration rules ban low-skilled workers entering the country.

Home Secretary Priti Patel today unveiled radical new measures to prevent fruit rotting in the fields and creating food shortages.

Many foreign workers do the jobs Brits don’t want to, but the Government’s new points-based immigration system, announced today, means they can no longer get a working visa from next January.

Ms Patel has allayed fears by announcing all prisoners will be available to join chain gangs to work in the fields and do manual labour at care homes.

Chain gangs were made popular in the US by soul singer Sam Cooke.

But the use of forced labour had been frowned upon in the UK – until now.

“This is a super way to kill two birds with one stone,” said Home Office spokesperson Lorraine Fisher, 34. “We will get the lazy prisoners working and farmers can harvest their crops.

“Better still, you and I will still get our strawberries, lettuce and other tasty crops that had been back-breaking work for Eastern Europeans for years.”

Suffolk potato farmer, Maurice Piper had long called for chain gangs.

“We’ve got Hollesley Prison down the road, full of layabout convicts who do nothing but eat food, watch television and play on the xBox.

“I’m all for them coming to the farm in a chain gang to pick my spuds and other vegetables and fruit.”

Village chain-maker Rick Petchey, speaking from his forge said: “This is excellent news.”