Strong words have been delivered by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to people trying to block the Government's move to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. The controversial deal between the UK and African nation has been heavily criticised by many.
Legal battles have taken place over the last few days as lawyers attempt to stop the first plane taking off from British soil today (June 14). However, the last-ditch efforts have so far failed.
During a cabinet meeting today, Mr Johnson slammed those trying to stop the flights from taking off. The PM told his cabinet: “They are, I’m afraid, undermining everything that we’re trying to do to support safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK and to oppose the illegal and dangerous routes.”
Mr Johnson went onto say that what the “criminal gangs are doing and what … those who effectively are abetting the work of the criminal gangs are doing, is undermining people’s confidence in the safe and legal system, undermining people’s general acceptance of immigration”. He was later asked during a visit to Staffordshire if the UK will have to leave the European Convention on Human Rights to avoid further legal battles.
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He responded that lawyers were “very good at picking up ways of trying to stop the Government from upholding what we think is a sensible law”. Mr Johnson added: “Will it be necessary to change some laws to help us as we go along? It may very well be and all these options are under constant review.”
Cases involving potential passengers have been heard at both the High and Supreme Court in recent days. An application for permission to appeal by an Iraqi man facing the trip was rejected by the latter court. Other challenges from three more asylum seekers were also rejected today.
However, Lord Reed said: “In bringing that application, the appellant’s lawyers were performing their proper function of ensuring that their clients are not subjected to unlawful treatment at the hands of the Government.”
The first flight is due to take off today, with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss saying the plane will depart even if there are only a few people on board. When asked how many would be on the flight, she said “some” and the scheme is both legal and “value for money”, despite reports each flight costs £500,000.
Doing Street says the current approach costs taxpayers £1.5billion a year, including £5million a day on accommodation. The Government is already planning a shake-up of human right laws with a new Bill of Rights mentioned in the Queen's Speech in May.
