Boris Johnson is close to making a formal statement about plans to “outsource” the processing of asylum seekers to Rwanda, The Times has been told.
The prime minister wanted to announce a trial of the plans last week after a surge in the number of migrants crossing the English Channel.
However, a government source said that Johnson had “wobbled” after colleagues raised concerns that the plans were not ready.
The nationality and borders bill, which will enable asylum seekers to be processed abroad, has not yet gained royal assent and the terms of the deal with Rwanda are still to be finalised. “He wanted to go ahead with it but it’s just not ready,” a government source said. “It’s close but there are still a lot of things in the balance.”
Ministers believe an announcement is likely if, as hoped, the bill passes through all stages before the Queen’s Speech next month. There is resistance in the Lords, and the Tory MP David Davis has tabled an amendment to scrap the measures in the Commons.
Under the plans, the government would fly asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing and settlement. Britain would pay Rwanda millions as part of any deal. However, the discussions have been shrouded in secrecy, with ministers referring only to “country X” during meetings. Similar attempts to “offshore” the processing of migrants to Albania and Ghana collapsed after The Times disclosed the discussions.
This year 4,550 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats — more than triple the number that had arrived by this time in 2021. That figure was not reached last year until mid-June, suggesting that this year will beat 2021’s record 28,526 crossings.
Plans to announce the transfer of responsibility for curbing Channel migrant crossings from Border Force to the Royal Navy have been delayed by disagreements between the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence.
No longer refugees. No longer even “asylum seekers”. Now actively referred to as “Migrants” in the headline.
The far right win every day.
We have poverty here already. We can’t just bring in people while treating our own poor citizens with contempt.
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Boris Johnson is close to making a formal statement about plans to “outsource” the processing of asylum seekers to Rwanda, The Times has been told.
The prime minister wanted to announce a trial of the plans last week after a surge in the number of migrants crossing the English Channel.
However, a government source said that Johnson had “wobbled” after colleagues raised concerns that the plans were not ready.
The nationality and borders bill, which will enable asylum seekers to be processed abroad, has not yet gained royal assent and the terms of the deal with Rwanda are still to be finalised. “He wanted to go ahead with it but it’s just not ready,” a government source said. “It’s close but there are still a lot of things in the balance.”
Ministers believe an announcement is likely if, as hoped, the bill passes through all stages before the Queen’s Speech next month. There is resistance in the Lords, and the Tory MP David Davis has tabled an amendment to scrap the measures in the Commons.
Under the plans, the government would fly asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing and settlement. Britain would pay Rwanda millions as part of any deal. However, the discussions have been shrouded in secrecy, with ministers referring only to “country X” during meetings. Similar attempts to “offshore” the processing of migrants to Albania and Ghana collapsed after The Times disclosed the discussions.
This year 4,550 migrants have crossed the Channel in small boats — more than triple the number that had arrived by this time in 2021. That figure was not reached last year until mid-June, suggesting that this year will beat 2021’s record 28,526 crossings.
Plans to announce the transfer of responsibility for curbing Channel migrant crossings from Border Force to the Royal Navy have been delayed by disagreements between the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence.
No longer refugees. No longer even “asylum seekers”. Now actively referred to as “Migrants” in the headline.
The far right win every day.
We have poverty here already. We can’t just bring in people while treating our own poor citizens with contempt.