Boris Johnson has contradicted Prince Charles as he defended the controversial Tory plan to send cross-Channel migrants to Rwanda.
The Prime Minister insisted the plan to send migrants to Africa to have their UK asylum claims processed is aimed at breaking the business model of people-trafficking gangs.
Prince Charles reportedly described the idea as “appalling” in private conversations and was said to be “more than disappointed” by it, amid reports that he privately described the move to send migrants to Rwanda as “appalling”.
Asked if Charles is wrong, Johnson told LBC Radio on Monday: “What I don’t think we should support is continued activity by criminal gangs.
"I do think that it’s the job of Government to stop people breaking the law and to support people who are doing the right thing; that’s what we are doing.”
The first flight of migrants is due to leave the UK on Tuesday but is subject to a legal appeal by trade unions and human rights campaigners.
Johnson said the government had expected that “very active lawyers” would try to challenge the Rwanda policy.
The Prime Minister told LBC: “We have always said that we knew that this policy would attract attacks from those who want to have a completely open-doors approach to immigration, who want people to be able to come across the Channel without let or hindrance.
“There are very active lawyers in this field. I have the utmost respect for the legal profession but it is also important we stop criminal gangs.”
Asked if the policy will be worth it if it results in just one person being removed, Johnson said: “I think it’s very important that the criminal gangs who are putting people’s lives at risk in the Channel is going to be broken – is being broken – by this government.”
Campaign group Care4Calais, which is among those appealing against Friday’s High Court decision to allow the government’s Rwanda plan to go ahead, said several migrants due to be on the first flight out of the UK on Tuesday have since been told otherwise by the Home Office.
In a tweet, they said: “Twenty people have had their Rwanda tickets cancelled but 11 still have live tickets for tomorrow.
“These include four Iranians, two Iraqis, two Albanians and one Syrian.
“We pray that the courts act today to stop this cruel and barbaric plan.”
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