ENDING freedom of movement for EU nationals immediately after Brexit could become a scandal like "Windrush on steroids," Jeremy Corbyn has claimed.

And the SNP’s Joanna Cherry warned the UK Government’s “reckless” plans would have “devastating” consequences for Scotland.

No 10 has confirmed that freedom of movement for EU migrant workers, “as it currently stands,” would end on October 31 and that the system allowing EU citizens to freely live and work in the UK would "look different" after Brexit Day with changes including tougher checks to prevent foreign criminals entering the country.

Boris Johnson, who wants to introduce an Australian-style points-based system to cater for the UK’s specific needs after Brexit, is due to set out details of the Government’s new immigration system soon.

His spokeswoman has made clear EU citizens currently resident in the UK would not be prevented from re-entering the country after trips abroad, although it remains unclear how checks would be carried out.

The Labour leader, however, denounced what he branded was the Government’s “utterly ludicrous position”.

He asked: "Does that mean that a European Union national living in this country, possibly as a doctor, a nurse, a trauma surgeon, all kinds of things, goes home to see their family in Germany or Czech Republic or wherever else, they are not allowed back into this country?

"Is this another Windrush, on steroids? It is a ludicrous proposal."

His colleague, Diane Abbott, the Shadow Home Secretary, also expressed dismay at the Government’s position, noting: “The way Boris is doing it is heading to a catastrophe,[which] will make Windrush look like a minor blip."

The Windrush scandal related to hundreds of people with Caribbean heritage who were wrongly detained, denied legal rights and threatened with deportation even though they had lived in Britain for more than 50 years.

Ms Cherry, the SNP’s home affairs spokeswoman, stressed that EU nationals made an extremely valuable contribution to the country and many had lived, worked and contributed to Scotland for most of their lives.

Ending freedom of movement on October 31, in less than 80 days’ time, without any parliamentary scrutiny was “reckless and wrong,” she insisted, and would mean EU citizens, unable to prove their right to remain in the UK, would be made “unlawful residents overnight, exposing them to the hostile environment policy”.

Ms Cherry, the MP for Edinburgh South West, added: “It’s a disgrace that almost three years since the EU referendum, Tory ministers continue to leave EU citizens in limbo by treating them as bargaining chips to pander to extreme right-wing Brexiteers.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "EU citizens and their families still have until at least December 2020 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme and one million people have already been granted status.

"Freedom of movement as it currently stands will end on October 31 when the UK leaves the EU and after Brexit the Government will introduce a new, fairer immigration system that prioritises skills and what people can contribute to the UK, rather than where they come from."