Rwanda scheme WILL go ahead vow ministers - even if Supreme Court blocks plan
The Supreme Court will rule on the plan tomorrow
PA
The Government minister in charge of immigration has vowed to see through the Rwanda deportation plan, whatever the outcome of a Supreme Court judgement due on Wednesday.
Robert Jenrick said the policy will go ahead “no ifs, no buts”.
His comments come after the sacking of Suella Braverman as Home Secretary. She has been replaced in the job by James Cleverly.
Jenrick insisted that the plan to send illegal migrants to Rwanda was at the heart of the Government’s promise to “stop the boats in their entirety” by the next general election.
Robert Jenrick said the Government were looking at how to plough on with the scheme
PAHe told the Telegraph: “Be assured that as a prudent Government, we have been thinking through what further steps we could take.
“I worked closely with the former home secretary on various options. But at the heart of this is the deep conviction that you have to inject deterrence into the system.
“We must ensure the Rwanda policy succeeds before the next general election. No ifs, no buts, we will do whatever it takes to ensure that happens.”
But when asked whether the boats could be stopped without the Rwanda policy, Jenrick answered: "No."
Ministers believe the policy will help reduce small boat crossings
PAThe Supreme Court is to give its decision on whether the Government’s plans are lawful on Wednesday.
Last month, the Home Office challenged a Court of Appeal ruling from June that the multimillion-pound deal was unlawful.
The Illegal Migration Act does allow the Government’s to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
However, the policy announced in April 2022 has been held up in the courts, with no deportation flights having taken off.
The first planned flight to Rwanda in June 2022 was grounded minutes before take-off following a ruling by a judge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
As a result, Jenrick has not ruled out the UK’s exit from the European Convention on Human Rights.
He said that if the Government’s Supreme Court challenge fails, he has “been clear that we have to do whatever it takes” to make stopping the boats a reality.