LONDON, May 23 – The contentious proposal to deport thousands of asylum seekers from the UK to Rwanda appears increasingly unlikely to materialize, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced there would be no deportations before the national election in July.
Since assuming office in October 2022, Sunak has championed the plan as a key strategy to curb illegal immigration, particularly targeting the influx of migrants arriving on small boats across the Channel. In April, he assured that the first flights would commence within 10 to 12 weeks, following the passage of legislation aimed at circumventing prolonged legal barriers.
However, with Britain set to vote on July 4, Sunak has now indicated that deportations will not begin before the election. He emphasized that re-electing him is crucial for the Rwanda scheme to proceed, stating at a campaign event, “We’ve started detaining people, the flights are booked for July, airfields are on standby, the escorts are ready, the caseworkers are churning through everything. If I’m re-elected as your prime minister, those flights will go to Rwanda.”
The opposition Labour Party, which is leading in polls by about 20 points and is expected to win, has vowed to terminate the scheme, labeling it a “con.” Labour argues that Sunak’s early election call is an attempt to avoid scrutiny over the plan’s viability. Further legal challenges from a trade union and a charity also pose threats to Sunak’s timeline.
The controversial plan, which has already incurred hundreds of millions of pounds in setup costs without any deportations to date, now faces the prospect of never being implemented. Sonya Sceats, Chief Executive of Freedom from Torture, remarked, “It certainly looks like the end.”
Immigration remains a significant election issue, with Sunak presenting the Rwanda policy as a solution to a costly problem that voters want addressed, while accusing Labour of lacking alternatives. The UK currently spends over £3 billion annually on processing asylum applications. Recent data shows a decrease in annual net migration, but figures remain higher than pre-Brexit levels.
Critics have condemned the Rwanda policy as immoral and unworkable, while supporters believe it would dismantle the operations of people traffickers. Last November, the UK Supreme Court declared the policy unlawful, prompting Sunak to renegotiate a treaty with Rwanda and pass new legislation to override the court’s decision.
Meanwhile, the number of asylum seekers crossing the Channel has surged to record levels, with nearly 10,000 arrivals this year, following a decrease in 2023. The right-wing Reform Party, which has drawn support from the Conservatives, contends that the Rwanda scheme is fundamentally flawed and that no flights will depart while borders remain open.
Even some Conservative lawmakers are skeptical. “Where are the flights to Rwanda? You can only draw the conclusion that they will never leave,” one MP told Reuters.
Regardless of the election outcome, the next government will inherit the persistent issue of small boat crossings. Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, stated, “The next government will face an asylum system in meltdown, with a growing backlog of undecided cases. The Rwanda plan will be remembered as an absurd and inhumane policy misadventure.”
