Boris Johnson unveils plans for asylum seekers to be taken 4,000 miles away to Rwanda despite backlash
14.04.2022 - 14:05
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The Government is set to secure a deal which would see asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats being flown to Rwanda for processing. Home Secretary Priti Patel is expected to sign the multimillion-pound agreement on Thursday during a visit to the East African nation.
It would mean that some people seeking sanctuary in the UK would be sent more than 4,000 miles away while their claims are assessed “offshore”. It would include those who make the crossing by means deemed “illegal” by the Government.
Under a trial scheme an initial £120 million is expected to be given to the Rwandan government. It’s been criticised by refugee charities as a “cruel and nasty decision” that will fail to address the issue and “lead to more human suffering and chaos”.
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Speaking on Thursday, the Prime Minister said the plans would enable the UK to “take back control of illegal immigration” and to stop gangs from exploiting the current system. He said: “It is a plan that will ensure the UK has a world-leading asylum offer, providing generous protection to those directly fleeing the worst of humanity by settling thousands of people every year through safe and legal routes.”
Asylum seekers who remain in the UK while their claims are considered could be housed in stricter reception centres under the plans. The first will reportedly open in the village of Linton-on-Ouse, in North Yorkshire.
News of the scheme quickly drew derision from the Opposition as well as refugee advocates, including the Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, who told the BBC it would not work. He said:“I really worry that this is not the right way to treat asylum seekers. We have an
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