RISHI Sunak suffered another major blow today as the Supreme Court ruled Rwanda deportation flights to be unlawful.
The most senior judges in the country unanimously agreed the East African state isn’t safe for resettling illegal migrants as they could later be sent back to their country of origin.
Rishi Sunak suffered another major blow today after the Supreme Court ruled Rwanda deportation flights to be unlawful[/caption]
But the PM has insisted he has a plan B and won’t give up on his mission to stop the boats[/caption]
Members of the media stand outside the Supreme Court ahead of its decision on Rwanda deportation flights[/caption]
The defeat marks a huge blow to the PM’s pledge to stop the boats ahead of an expected showdown general election next year.
A spokesperson for the Rwandan government said: “This is ultimately a decision for the UK’s judicial system.
“However, we do take issue with the ruling that Rwanda is not a safe third country for asylum seekers and refugees, in terms of refoulment.
“Rwanda and the UK have been working together to ensure the integration of relocated asylum seekers into Rwandan society.”
But yesterday No10 claimed ministers had been war-gaming the potential outcomes and drafting contingencies.
Mr Sunak’s spokesman said: “We’ve got options for possible scenarios as you would expect.”
The loss comes less than 24 hours after outgoing Home Secretary Suella Braverman blasted the PM for NOT having “any sort of credible Plan B” in her blistering resignation letter.
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She wrote: “If we lose in the Supreme Court, an outcome that I have consistently argued we must be prepared for, you will have wasted a year and an Act of Parliament, only to arrive back at square one.
“Worse than this, your magical thinking – believing that you can will your way through this without upsetting polite opinion – has meant you have failed to prepare any sort of credible ‘Plan B’.”
Last summer the Court of Appeal overturned a judgement from the High Court that the removal scheme was safe.
By a two-to-one vote judges were not reassured the Kigali government would not later send migrants on to other countries where they could face persecution.
Ministers have said a ruling of unlawfulness does not necessarily kill off the Rwanda plan – first announced in 2022 by Boris Johnson.
But the Supreme Court ruling will now fuel Tory calls for Britain to quit the European Court of Human Right.
Allies of Ms Braverman could ramp up their campaign to leave deepening the civil war blighting the Tory party.
The government has already paid Rwanda £140million to rehouse asylum seekers crossing the Channel.
Ministers believe the plan will deter tens of thousands making the perilous journey if they know they will be flown to the East African country.
