The Australian government is advising British ministers on Boris Johnson’s plans to introduce a points-based system for migrants after Brexit, the Home Secretary has revealed.

Priti Patel told The Telegraph that the Department of Home Affairs in Canberra was “engaging” with the Home Office over plans for a new scheme intended to restore public faith in immigration control.

The disclosure came after Ms Patel met Peter Dutton, her Australian counterpart, while both ministers were in the US for talks with Donald Trump’s administration last week.

Ms Patel said: “Peter Dutton is leading a department in Australia that’s only been around for two years but they are engaging with us on the points-style immigration system discussion, something which we will be basing our own future immigration system on, to create a compassionate environment and ensure we allow the brightest and best to come to the United Kingdom in the future.”

Last week Ms Patel was applauded by Conservative members as she declared to the party’s annual conference in Manchester that she would “end the free movement of people once and for all” and instead “introduce an Australian style points-based immigration system.”