Boris Johnson wants first ‘illegal’ migrants flown to Rwanda in six
weeks
Evening Standard – 19-04-2022
The Prime Minister wants to see the first migrants handed a ‘one-way ticket’ to Rwanda flown out in roughly six weeks as the
Government battles to curb Channel crossings.
Boris Johnson is
reportedly keen for the first flight carrying those deemed to have arrived in
the UK illegally – including those taking to the water to embark on the
perilous journey in small boats – to leave late next month, marking the start
of plans to move thousands within the next few years.
But the Government is braced for the widely criticised plans to be
challenged in the courts, which could prove an obstacle to their progress.
Andrew Griffith, the director of policy at No 10, said it is hoped the
scheme will be operational in “weeks, or a small number of months”.
Asked when he expects the first person will be sent to Rwanda, the
Conservative MP told BBC Newsnight: “It doesn’t require new legislation – we
think that we can do this under the existing conventions.
“And therefore this should be possible to be implemented and
operationalised in weeks, or a small number of months. So we are ready to go in
that sense.”
Both Mr Johnson and Home Secretary
Priti Patel have acknowledged the plans
could be challenged in the courts.
Andrew Griffith, the director of policy at No 10,
said it is hoped the scheme will be operational in ‘weeks, or a small number of
months’ (Aaron Chown/PA) / PA Wire
The costs of the programme remain uncertain, but The Times reported that
each migrant sent to Rwanda is expected to set British taxpayers back between
£20,000 and £30,000.
The newspaper said this would cover accommodation both before and after
the journey, as well as the cost of a seat on the flight itself.
It comes as the Home Secretary has struck a £120-million economic deal
with Rwanda, and cash for each removal is expected to follow.
On Thursday, protesters wielding signs with the message “refugees
welcome here” gathered outside the Home Office,
declaring their intention to “fight back” against the move.
Charities condemned the plans as “cruel and nasty”, claiming they would
fail to address the issue and cause more “suffering and chaos”, while
criticising Rwanda’s human rights track record.
But Mr Johnson insisted the scheme was not “draconian and lacking
in compassion”.
Giving a major speech in Kent, he said the agreement was “uncapped” and
Rwanda would have the “capacity to resettle tens of thousands of people in the
years ahead”.
He said the partnership would be “fully compliant with our international
legal obligations”, while insisting Rwanda was “one of the safest countries in
the world”.
Johnson insisted the scheme was not ‘draconian and
lacking in compassion’ (Matt Dunham/PA) / PA Wire
“But nevertheless, we expect this will be challenged in the courts,” Mr
Johnson added, as he hit out at what he called a “formidable army of
politically motivated lawyers”.
During a visit to the Rwandan capital of Kigali, Ms Patel said the Home
Office was prepared for legal challenges, as she accused lawyers of “fleecing
the British taxpayer”.
Stephanie Boyce, the president of the Law Society of England and Wales,
warned there were “serious questions” about whether the plans complied with
international law.
“It is particularly disappointing – this week of all weeks – the
Government is repeating misleading suggestions that legal challenges are
politically motivated,” she said.
“If the Government wishes to avoid losing court cases, it should act
within the law of the land.”
Labour MP Nadia Whittome, who attended the protest outside the Home
Office, said the “incredible” turnout showed the Government had “badly
misjudged the mood of the country” on the issue.
She said: “I think people’s response to Afghan refugees, to Ukrainian
refugees… people of this country have been so, so much more generous than this
Government.
“I think most people that you know agree, it’s not a Sudanese engineer
who put up our energy prices by 54 per cent. It’s not a Syrian labourer who got
rid of all our council homes and then didn’t build any more.
“It’s the fault of this Government that people are struggling. People
don’t have the lives that we deserve.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called the plans “unworkable”,
“extortionate” and an attempt to distract from Mr Johnson being fined for
breaching his own pandemic laws.
The deal with Rwanda is understood to effectively be a fresh removals
arrangement, where those deemed by the Government as inadmissible under UK
asylum rules will be relocated.
It is thought the East African nation’s government will process the
claims and those who are successful will be provided Rwandan refugee status.
This would be different from plans to offshore processing of UK asylum
claims, which would involve sending migrants to another country or location
while their applications are determined and then returned once approved.
Home Secretary Priti Patel signed the historic £120 million deal with
Rwandan officials during a visit to the capital Kigali;
Mr Johnson insisted Rwanda was one of the safest countries in the world;
It emerged the first migrants to be sent from Britain will be put up in
a former tourist hostel with scenic views over the city;
The scheme – including Home Office charter flights to Rwanda – is likely
to cost between £20,000 and £30,000 a head;
The naval operation in the Channel was given a mission to make sure 'no
boat makes it to the UK undetected';
The PM said it was his aim to bring the numbers arriving in the country
illegally 'down to zero', but admitted that was unlikely 'any time soon';
www.samigration.com
