The Rwanda plan was introduced by the previous government and voted through earlier this year. It was intended to deter migrants and asylum seekers from entering the UK illegally via boats across the English Channel.
According to the agreement that Britain entered into with Rwanda, people could be flown to the latter country, where the asylum process would continue. And those granted asylum would then stay there.
In exchange, Britain has paid Rwanda at least 240 million pounds, corresponding to more than SEK 3.1 billion, for the program. And next year it was believed that figure would rise by a further £50m.
But now the newly appointed Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has announced that the new government will not continue its predecessor’s policy of deporting asylum seekers, thus ending it before any flights have left.
– The Rwanda program was dead and buried before it started. It has never been a deterrent, he said at the press conference.