UKIP’s deputy leader says Suella Braverman’s trip to Rwanda has “damaged” her migrant plan as she aims to deter asylum seekers from crossing the Channel illegally.
Rebecca Jane told GB News that Braverman has only been successful in showing the positive sides of the country, meaning migrants will not be put off from attempting to cross the Channel.
The Home Secretary has attacked critics of the Rwanda plan, saying they are guilty of “snobbery”.
The agreement, were it to be successfully implemented, would see migrants deported to the African country.
Rebecca Jane has criticised Suella Braverman's migrant plan
PA / GB News
She told Patrick Christys: “My problem is, I’m not virtue signalling but I’ve certainly got a problem with the Rwanda plan.
“It doesn’t look like a deterrent to me. I’ve shown the location and where they would live to people at work today and it looks absolutely lovely.
“I think Suella Braverman’s little tour has done nothing but damage to the whole plan and the plan is useless anyway.
“It can only take about 200 people at a time when we’re actually at record levels of people coming into this country. She needs to offer a deterrent.
Ms Braverman visiting the potential migrant housing estate in Kigali, RwandaPA“She’s effectively saying: ‘Look at this beautiful new life you could have if you cross the Channel and make this horrifically awful journey’.
“We need to be deterrents.”
It comes as the Home Secretary suggested the UK is close to victory in the row with the European Court of Human Rights over the issue.
A lengthy squabble has seen a flight grounded despite being loaded with illegal migrants and ready to set off to Rwanda.
Speaking to GB News, Braverman told Home and Security Editor Mark White that she is “confident” the plan will work.
She said: “We’ve introduced the bill. We hope that Parliament supports it so it can get through to royal assent quickly. But let me be clear, nothing is ever off the table and we have to always consider every option as the event pans out.”
Rebecca Jane said the plan represents a “really good alternative” for migrants, which could see more attempting to make the potentially deadly trip across the Channel.
Jane added: “this looks like a really good alternative. You could go there and have a new, lovely life.
“This is not a deterrent. We need to stop people getting to our shores and send people back to where they have come from if it is safe to do so.
“We should be looking at more alternatives but this Rwanda plan is absolutely atrocious and it’s filled with problems.”
An injunction put in place by the European Court of Human Rights remains in place, but the Government believe any change could “remove a key barrier”.
The ECHR is yet to comment on any discussions.