Supreme Court rules UK Government’s Rwanda asylum policy is unlawful
The Supreme Court has ruled that the Rwanda asylum policy is unlawful, in a major blow for Rishi Sunak’s promise to “stop the boats”.
Justices at the UK’s highest court rejected the Government’s appeal over its policy of removing asylum seekers to the east African nation if they arrive by unauthorised means.
Flights forcibly removing migrants to Kigali are unlikely to take place any time soon after the ruling on the flagship policy that has been stalled by more than a year of legal challenges.
In a summary of the judgment read out by Supreme Court President Lord Reed on Wednesday, the justices found there would be a risk of genuine asylum seekers being returned by Rwanda to the home country from where they fled.
Challenges
The flagship asylum policy was first announced by Boris Johnson back in April 2020, but not a single migrant has been removed to Kigali after a series of legal challenges.
Mr Sunak will deliver his verdict on the ruling at Prime Minister’s Questions, before new Home Secretary James Cleverly gives further details.
Suella Braverman warned after her sacking as home secretary that there is no “credible Plan B” if the Supreme Court rejects the Government appeal.
In a unanimous decision by the five top justices, they agreed the High Court was entitled to rule that there is “substantial” grounds to believe there is a “real risk” of refugees being returned home.
But Lord Reed made clear the judgment was only on the current risk in Rwanda and said that the changes needed to reduce the risk “may be delivered in the future”.
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Looks like our “fiscally responsible” government wasted billions of our money for another unlawful scheme then.
Time to stop the prison barge “solution” too
Highly respected Lord Dubbs talks about ” vulnerable people” .That is what is in question here.Many of those paying £thousands to traffickers are NOT vulnerable.
what’s your source for that, how are you defining vulnerable, and how are you defining ‘many’?
His source is probably the ‘hurrah for the blackshirts’ Daily Mail….nuff said 😉
Which ones? Since you seem so certain you can, of course, give specific examples, or at least a credible data sources which breaks down the vulnerable from the non-vulnerable. Or are you just assuming? As we all know, ASSuming makes an ASS out of you. Just you.
Excellent news! Humanity wins out over bigotry and hatred. The response of the hard right of the Tory party will now be for the UK to join the brutal tyrant Putin in leaving the ECHR.
Putin had the decency to jump (from the ECHR) before he was pushed, unlike Suella Braverman. Belarus also never joined, it applied but was not accepted, partly due to use of the death penalty.
People forget that it was Churchill who established the ECHR & is an entirely separate institution from the EU. The only countries that are not members are Belarus and as you say Russia. It should also be remembered that the ECHR protects OUR rights from tyranny as well, and not just the rights of immigrants.
What a great week in politics. Braverman booted for her improper behaviour, the Supreme Court confirming her improper behaviour and Sunak putting his improper party on an internal civil war footing. All great stuff and their coming election annihilation should deliver a strong message that we are not prepared to have our precious taxpayers’ cash blown away on xenophobic hate schemes.
Remember though. In this out of touch, appointed, not elected, government, Braverman could be back by next week (If JRM fails to ressurrect Thatcher’s soul from hell)
If Thatcher was alive today even she would be horrified by how far to the right this government is.
Much as I despised her, I believe you’re right.
Oh, I know. You really could be on the money there but can we just enjoy today? It may be the only day we have.
Good point. Today is a good day.