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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Lizzy Buchan & Dan Bloom

Rwanda asylum seeker scheme may face court fight as Boris Johnson sends Navy into Channel

Boris Johnson has admitted his plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda will face legal challenges - and won't happen "overnight".

The Prime Minister unveiled a controversial scheme to fly people who have arrived "illegally" in the UK since January 1 to the East African country - despite nearly two-thirds being deemed genuine refugees.

Asylum seekers will then be encouraged to settle in the east African nation permanently while they wait.

Critics warned the scheme was morally wrong and wouldn't work - and crucial details were missing.

Mr Johnson admitted that the scheme wouldn't begin immediately as the Government braces for a swathe of legal challenges

Delivering a speech in Kent, the Prime Minister said: "We expect this will be challenged in the courts.

(POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

"If this country is seen as a soft touch for illegal migration by some of our partners, it is precisely because we have such a formidable army of politically motivated lawyers who, for years, have made it their business to thwart removals and frustrate the Government.

He threatened there would be further reforms to prevent legal challenges, saying he would “explore any and all further legal reforms that may be necessary”.

He also announced that the Navy would take over from Border Force in policing the Channel to curb the flow of people arriving in small boats.

A new Greek-style holding centre for those allowed to stay in Britain will open “shortly”, he said.

But Mr Johnson did not say when the “uncapped” plan would start, how many people it would force to Rwanda, or how much it would cost.

He did not deny claims it could cost as much as putting refugees in the Ritz.

And he admitted the plan was “not sufficient” on its own - and the number of boats was “unlikely” to reduce to zero “any time soon”.

He boasted Rwanda had “capacity” to take tens of thousands of people over “the years ahead”, but 100,000 asylum seekers are waiting for a Home Office decision now.

Boris Johnson met crews and technical staff at Lydd airport ahead of his speech (REUTERS)

Mr Johnson dared what he branded “politically-motivated” lawyers to challenge the plan in the courts and threatened to overhaul the legal basis for challenging his policies.

The PM claimed "seven out of ten of those arriving in small boats last year were men under 40, paying people smugglers to queue jump and taking up our capacity to help genuine women and child refugees."

But there was confusion as he did not repeat sources' claims that only single men would be sent to Rwanda, not women and children.

Instead, he said "anyone" entering the UK "illegally" since January 1 this year "may now be relocated to Rwanda".

The scheme due an immediate backlash as a senior Tory accused Mr Johnson of trying to distract from the Partygate row.

Police have issued fines for lockdown-flouting parties in Downing Street (PA)

Tobias Ellwood, who chairs the Commons Defence Committee, said: "He's [ Boris Johnson ] trying to make an announcement today on migration, and all of this is a massive distraction.

The SNP branded the plan "evil", "toxic" and "inhumane" while Freedom from Torture chief executive Sonya Sceats said: “Boris Johnson’s plan to imprison refugees in prison camps in Rwanda is deeply disturbing and should horrify anybody with a conscience.”

Sources claimed the scheme would cost £120m initially - but critics believe it will run into the billions like in Australia. Amnesty International UK branded it a "shockingly ill-conceived idea will go far further in inflicting suffering while wasting huge amounts of public money".

Labour's Lucy Powell said it “might sound good in a focus group” but it’s “unworkable, expensive and unethical”.

In a speech at Lydd Airport the PM said the Channel was being turned into a “watery graveyard”, as Priti Patel was due to sign a deal on a visit to Rwanda’s capital Kigali.

A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent, by the RNLI (PA)

Yet refugees minister Lord Harrington said only last week: “If it’s happening in the Home Office in the same corridor I’m in, they haven’t told me about it.”

And Human Rights Watch has warned “refugees who are known critics of the government have been threatened and harassed” under Paul Kagame, who has ruled for two decades after the 1990s genocide.

Mr Johnson vowed to stop the "rank unfairness" of people arriving without documents, saying: "Uncontrolled immigration creates unmanageable demands on our NHS and on our welfare state, it overstretches our local schools, our housing and public transport and creates unsustainable pressure to build on precious green spaces.

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