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Liz Truss defends Rwanda asylum scheme as ‘completely legal and moral’
Priti Patel has told of her disapointment that the first deportation flight to Rwanda will no longer take off, but said tonight’s legal defeats will not prevent her from “doing the right thing.”
The home secretary added: “Our legal team are reviewing every decision made on this flight and preparation for the next flight begins now.”
A spokesperson for the Rwandan government has similarly said it will not be deterred by Tuesday’s successful legal bids.
“Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work,” Yolande Makolo said, adding: “Rwanda stands ready to receive the migrants when they do arrive and offer them safety and opportunity in our country.”
Their remarks follow a series of succesful, eleventh-hour interventions by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which saw all migrants bound for the African country removed from the plane at Boscombe Down, near Salisbury.
The appeals were considered by an out-of-hours judge on papers, PA agency understands, who overruled the UK rulings.
It is also understood that, at present , there is not a route for the Home Office to appeal against the decision.
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Show latest update 1655273400 Watch: Rwanda facilities ready to host UK asylum seekers
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Rwanda facilities ready to host UK asylum seekers
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 07:10
1655272516 'Missing the bigger picture' - Rwandan government hits back at ‘insulting’ criticism over migrants plan
The Rwandan government has hit back at “insulting” criticism of plans to relocate migrants from the UK.
Yolande Makolo, a spokeswoman for the east African nation’s administration, said opponents were “missing the bigger picture” about the efforts being made to improve the standard of living in the country and offer better opportunities so they do not lose their young people to “Europe” as well as provide a safe haven for refugees.
Speaking to reporters in Kigali on Tuesday before the first deportation flight was grounded, Ms Makolo said: “There’s a point that we want to get across as Africans, that Africa should not be looked at as a place that creates problems and creates migrants and creates refugees.
Read more:
Rwandan government hits back at ‘insulting’ criticism over migrants plan Yolande Makolo spoke to reporters in Kigali as the first deportation flight prepared to leave Britain
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 06:55
1655271616 ‘Send you to Rwanda’ emerging as new racist slur on social media, public figures warn
The UK’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has inspired fresh waves of racist and bigoted language on social media, public figures have warned, writes our race correspondent Nadine White.
Discussing the trend, Sunder Katwala, director of think tank British Future, pointed out that the slur was also being used by both left- and right-leaning commentators against people they disagree with or dislike, with those from ethnic minorities being disproportionately targeted.
Read more:
‘Send you to Rwanda’ emerging as new racist slur on social media The UK’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has inspired fresh waves of racist and bigoted language on social media
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 06:40
1655270716 Grounding of Rwanda flight dominates front pages in the UK today
The nation’s papers are led by reaction to the Rwanda flight being cancelled following a late ruling from the European Court of Human Rights.
The Independent leads with the last-minute reprieve of the flight to Rwanda. The Times, The Daily Telegraph and Daily Mail all report the plane was grounded after migrants aboard it were granted injunctions against their removal.
Independent front page on Tuesday 15 June 2022
(Independent front page)
Check out more front pages here:
What the papers say – June 15 The last-minute grounding of the first deportation flight to Rwanda dominates Wednesday’s front pages.
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 06:25
1655269816 What happens when the first migrants arrive in Rwanda from the UK?
The first migrants to arrive in Rwanda under the UK’s radical new deal to curb Channel crossings will be offered the chance to rebuild their lives in the east African nation.
The group will most likely be flown into a private terminal at Kigali’s international airport before being taken straight to accommodation at Hope Hostel – where they will be given a chance to rest, eat and settle in, as well as being tested for Covid-19, before they are processed.
According to the Rwandan government, this is the only facility being used for initial accommodation under the plan so far.
Read more:
What happens when the first migrants arrive in the Rwanda from the UK? The government aspires to provide ‘clean, modern accommodation’ with basic facilities and a safe space.
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 06:10
1655268625 Celebrities condemn 'brutal' government plans to deport migrants
Celebrities have condemned the “brutal, stupid and damaging” actions of the government amid the legal battle to deport migrants to Rwanda.
A plane due to take several individuals to Rwanda was grounded on Tuesday night after last-minute interventions by the European Court of Human Rights. Comedians Frankie Boyle, Simon Brodkin and Sue Perkins were among those to comment on the controversial policy.
“The Rwanda flight on the anniversary of Grenfell says everything about the direction we’ve travelled in the last five years,” wrote Mr Boyle on Twitter.
Fellow comedian Nish Kumar also celebrated the news of the cancelled flight as “amazing” and “incredible”, sharing tweets from the refugee action group Stop Deportations.
Following the news of the halted flight, Deborah Frances White, host of the Guilty Feminist podcast, added: “Amazing.
“Imagine the emotional toll of those already traumatised souls put on that plane and then taken off though. Are they still in detention?”
Simon Brodkin, who is known for his politically-themed pranks, joked: “Rwanda deportation flight delayed for 6th time.
“Priti Patel vows to never use Ryanair again.”
Sue Perkins described the announcement that the government would be proceeding with its decision to deport the migrants as “shameless.”
“Today, the govt pushed ahead with the most brutal, stupid and damaging responses to problems they created in the first place,” she wrote.
“This is where xenophobia and ‘sovereignty’ get you; breaking international law and sending asylum seekers to Rwanda.
“Shameless, the lot of them.”
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 05:50
1655267425 Editorial: The Rwanda flight is grounded – but migrants should be more than ammo in Tory MPs’ culture war
The most shameful civilian flight in British history has been postponed, thanks to an out-of-hours judge at the European Court of Human Rights.
The fact that it has been postponed by judicial intervention doesn’t lessen the symbolic impact of a founding signatory to the United Nations, and to the European conventions on refugees, straining every sinew to abnegate a responsibility it solemnly entered into after the last world war.
Read more:
Editorial: Migrants should be more than ammo in Tory MPs’ culture war Editorial: This humiliation for the government was brought about not by ‘lefty lawyers’ but by government incompetence
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 05:30
1655266200 Rwandan government ‘not deterred’ by first deportation flight failings
A spokesperson for the Rwandan government has said it is not deterred by the successful legal bids which saw the first deportation plane bound for the country grounded.
Yolande Makolo said: “Rwanda remains fully committed to making this partnership work. The current situation of people making dangerous journeys cannot continue as it is causing untold suffering to so many.
“Rwanda stands ready to receive the migrants when they do arrive and offer them safety and opportunity in our country.”
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 05:10
1655265000 ‘A night for the history books’: Campaigners rejoice after last-ditch legal success
The intervention by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) shows how “potentially dangerous” the government’s Rwanda policy is, campaigners have said.
“Tonight is a night for the history books and the European Court of Human Rights, which was founded in the aftermath of the Holocaust, has done what it was established to do,” James Wilson, deputy director of Detention Action, said. “The ECHR has recognised that no-one should be forced on a plane until our substantial legal challenge against this policy is heard by the High Court next month.”
Stuti Mishra 15 June 2022 04:50
1655262000 Rwanda deportation flight grounded after dramatic last-minute ECHR intervention
Boris Johnson’s “desperate and cruel” policy to deter asylum-seekers was in disarray last night after the handful of migrants on the first deportation flight to Rwanda won a last-minute legal reprieve.
The ￡500,000 taxpayer-funded flight was halted minutes before it was due to take off following interventions by the European Court of Human Rights.
It came despite ministers earlier insisting the flight would go ahead no matter how few were on board.
Rwanda deportation flight grounded after dramatic last-minute ECHR intervention First flight abandoned at 10pm minutes before takeoff but Priti Patel says she ‘will not be deterred’
Emily Atkinson 15 June 2022 04:00
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