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Supreme Court challenge over Rwanda policy set to begin

09 Oct 2023 2 minute read
Desir Resort Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda where it is believed migrants from the UK could be housed.

The UK Government’s legal battle over its Rwanda deportation policy has reached the Supreme Court.

The Home Office is bringing a challenge after the Court of Appeal ruled in June that the multimillion-pound deal – which would see asylum seekers deported to the east African nation – was unlawful.

In a three-day hearing starting on Monday, five justices at the UK’s highest court will hear arguments over whether two appeal judges were right to find there was a “real risk” asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution when they may have a good asylum claim.

While Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill concluded there were “deficiencies” in the Rwandan asylum system and ruled the policy was unlawful, former lord chief justice Lord Burnett disagreed and said he would dismiss the challenge.

As well as the Home Office’s bid to overturn the decision, several individual asylum seekers are set to challenge aspects of the ruling.

Immigration featured heavily at the recent Conservative Party conference, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying he “will do whatever is necessary to stop the boats”.

He said on Wednesday: “We are by no means where we want to be but don’t let anyone tell you we aren’t making progress, we are and we will get there.

“Our new law will ensure that if you come here illegally, you will be detained and swiftly removed. Now I’m confident that once flights start going regularly to Rwanda, the boats will stop coming.”

He added: “I am confident that our approach complies with our international obligations. But know this: I will do whatever is necessary to stop the boats.”

The Supreme Court hearing in London, before Lords Reed, Hodge, Lloyd-Jones, Briggs and Sales, is due to begin at 10.30am.


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Sally-Anne
Sally-Anne
9 months ago

The thing is…. a worrying amount of Nation.Cymru’s readers appear to side with the Saesneg government in Westminster on this matter…..

Sarah Good
Sarah Good
9 months ago
Reply to  Sally-Anne

A worrying amount of its commenters certainly. Not everyone comments though. But yes, I agree it’s a worry. I’ve left most social media now because too often you see the very worst of people posting atrocious things. I found myself wondering that if there were so many horrible people on social media (especially the foetid swamp previously known as Twitter) are they representative of people as a whole? Then I thought about the people I know, and wondered what they wrote on Social Media in places I didn’t know. Honestly, I think most people are decent about most things, most… Read more »

Last edited 9 months ago by Sarah Good
Jeff
Jeff
9 months ago

Government loses this, expect ECHR to be the next target.
I hope they lose big time.

Linda Jones
Linda Jones
9 months ago

I find it sur[prising the government. with all the technology at its disposal, cannot seem to find the people traffickers. They are making huge sums of money from people wanting to cross the channel from France. Charging them £tens thousands to squeeze into unsafe boats and dinghys. They appear to be doing so with impunity.

Sarah Good
Sarah Good
9 months ago
Reply to  Linda Jones

One might even wonder if HMGov are turning a blind eye. Allowing the situation to get even worse, so they have something to bleat about to their perpetually aggrieved and shrinking core. Imagine if the problem solved itself (because the Tories are clearly incapable), what would they get people in a tizzy about next? Who could they scapegoat? Brexit is done so they can’t blame Europeans. Touting anti trans is COSTING them votes. 20mph is now in place and their lies are revealed. They’ve cancelled the green agenda so can’t bang on about crusties. They’ve cancelled HS2 so cant raise… Read more »

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