In a surprising turn of events, the controversial scheme to deport migrants to Rwanda has been scrapped by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on his very first day in office. The scheme, which aimed to tackle illegal immigration by deporting a mere fraction of small boat arrivals, has been deemed ineffective and is now “dead and buried.”
Under the previous government, a total of 220 people were detained with the intention of being sent to Rwanda as part of this ill-fated scheme. However, the new government has taken a different approach, with plans to boost the National Crime Agency’s capacity to tackle criminal people-smuggling gangs instead.
The financial implications of scrapping the Rwanda scheme and the fate of around 52,000 Channel migrants in the UK remain uncertain. The Labour government has pledged to crack down on small boat crossings by employing investigators and utilizing counter-terror powers.
Despite the change in leadership, the issue of illegal migration remains a top priority for the new government. Stay tuned for more details on their upcoming plans to address this pressing issue.
