IMAGES of Suella Braverman on her visit to Rwanda have been described as something similar to “an extremely distasteful and disturbing holiday album”.
No migrants have yet been relocated to the country, despite the Home Secretary previously saying it was her “dream” to see a plane carrying some there.
Braverman has just expanded the agreement with Rwanda to incorporate entrants to the UK irrespective of the claim they bring – including asylum, modern slavery or human rights.
One of the images (below) of her visit show her laughing as she toured a building site to see the construction of housing which could eventually be used for deported migrants.
The Scottish Greens justice and human rights spokesperson Maggie Chapman said: “Even by the racist and authoritarian standards of the Tory party, this Home Secretary has plunged to terrible and inhumane new lows.
“The grinning photos from the ‘processing centres’ in Rwanda are grotesque – they’re like something out of an extremely distasteful and disturbing holiday album.
“But they are nothing compared to the pain and misery that this awful government, and this Home Office, is knowingly inflicting on some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”
Speaking from the Rwandan capital of Kigali, Braverman said that the Illegal Migration Bill (IMB) would not take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights.
However, she added that there are “serious issues with the balance that’s currently being struck” with the Strasbourg courts.
“I think that Rwanda is clearly ready. We’re seeing that there’s real progress, which has been made in real tangible terms.”
Chapman added: “Like the anti-refugee bill, the immoral and illegal Rwanda deportation plan is the sort of policy that the BNP could only dream of. No government that had a shred of concern for the wellbeing of refugees would even consider either of them.
“The hostile environment that they are part of is not new, and has been built over decades, by both Tory and Labour governments.
“History will judge these actions and the rhetoric used to justify them, in the most contemptuous terms. It is long past time for us to abolish the Home Office and build a whole new approach based on solidarity, support and compassion.”
Braverman was also asked whether she was in discussions with other nations to enter into further partnerships in order to implement the IMB.
She said: “As you’ve heard, the capacity for Rwanda is in the region of thousands. We believe that is sufficient to deal with the challenge that we’re facing in the UK, but we are always in constructive dialogue with many nations around the world.”
The SNP meanwhile condemned the policy. The party’s home affairs spokesperson Alison Thewliss said: “The Rwanda policy is callous to its core and should never have seen the light of day.
“The SNP has been clear from the outset that we want no part in this immoral and impractical policy.
“There can be no doubt that the only way to build an asylum system which offers refugees protection and security is through independence.”
