Sunak says Rwanda asylum flights to leave in July
The first flight carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda will leave in 10-12 weeks, Rishi Sunak said as he promised that “no ifs, no buts” the scheme would be put into operation.
The Prime Minister said “enough is enough” as he said MPs and peers would sit through the night if necessary to get the Safety of Rwanda Bill through Parliament.
Mr Sunak had originally promised that flights would go to Rwanda in spring, but his new timetable suggested the first plane would not leave until July.
At a Downing Street press conference he blamed Labour opposition to the scheme for the delays, but vowed: “We will start the flights and we will stop the boats.”
Charter flights
The Prime Minister said an airfield was on standby and charter flights had been booked to take asylum seekers on the one-way trip to Rwanda.
Mr Sunak said: “Enough is enough. No more prevarication, no more delay. Parliament will sit there tonight and vote no matter how late it goes. No ifs, no buts. These flights are going to Rwanda.”
Describing the plan as an “indispensable deterrent so that we finally break the business model of the criminal gangs and save lives”, Mr Sunak added: “Starting from the moment that the Bill passes, we will begin the process of removing those identified for the first flight. We have prepared for this moment.”
Mr Sunak said it was “one of the most complex operational endeavours” the Home Office had carried out.
He said: “To detain people while we prepare to remove them, we’ve increased detention spaces to 2,200. To quickly process claims, we’ve got 200 trained, dedicated caseworkers ready and waiting.
“To deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively, the judiciary have made available 25 courtrooms and identified 150 judges who could provide over 5,000 sitting days.”
The European Court of Human Rights had amended procedures on interim orders, Mr Sunak said, and “we’ve put beyond all doubt that ministers can disregard these injunctions with clear guidance that if they decide to do so, civil servants must deliver that instruction”.
Mr Sunak promised that “once the processing is complete, we will physically remove people”.
“And to do that, I can confirm that we’ve put an airfield on standby, booked commercial charter planes for specific slots and we have 500 highly trained individuals ready to escort illegal migrants all the way to Rwanda, with 300 more trained in the coming weeks,” he said.
“This is one of the most complex operational endeavours the Home Office has carried out. But we are ready, plans are in place and these flights will go, come what may.
“No foreign court will stop us from getting flights off.”
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Tory party goose stepping the UK into the history books. A certain moustachioed chap did that in the 30’s.
Jebus, the over entitled idiot said opponents have used every trick in the book. No, the law was applied, UK law. He really is running scared if he thinks a few hundred people abused will sort his ills. Braverman and 30p must be salivating at the pain incoming.
Thank you for this clearly set out overview of the situation.
There are many families struggling and all the Tories can think about is there hatred of the immigrant. The fixation is truly disgusting. As for Braverman, if she ever becomes leader of the Conservatives, traditional conservatism would be dead for good. Even now if it wasn’t for the European court of human rights I wouldn’t be surprised if the Tories sunk the boats in the channel!
Well said Steve, But who knows if anything will happen. The way we have gone, and that it should come to this. Hatred everyehere you look. A sad old world. Bottom line for me in Britain is – Israel and its sick psycopathic leaders. Unprecedented terrorists every last one of them. Our politicians if they were any good would be helping to round them up. But they are doing the opposite. So in my book they are all culpable. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could see the end of capitalism and its crackpot ideology. I doubt i will be… Read more »
Fishie rishi describes the plan as an “indispensable deterrent so that we finally break the business model of the criminal gangs and save lives.”
It simply will not be a deterrent, it will not stop one boat. It has no chance of breaking the business model of the gangs!
People will continue to risk, and lose, their lives by crossing the channel in small boats.
I would prefer to deport rishi, along with the rest of the vile tories!
Personally i do not think it will happen even he Sunak the snake knows it there are council elections on May the 2nd his Party of the Scum will get a Hammering the gathering of the TORY SERPANTS WILL TRY TO OUST HIM he will call a General election END OF THE TORIES
No! And No again!