Rishi Sunak has taken steps to break the political impasse over his Rwanda Bill, which would allow for deportation flights to the African nation once it becomes law. This is the government’s latest effort to revive its plan to send asylum seekers who enter the UK illegally to Kigali. The deal has faced several setbacks since its inception two years ago.
The Prime Minister has high hopes for the Bill, asserting that it would establish Rwanda as a safe country and ensure the legality of the program, which was previously deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court. Sunak has accused opponents of causing delays and stated that MPs and peers will work through the night on Monday if necessary to pass the Bill in Parliament.
However, there are still unanswered questions about the implementation of the plan.
When Will Rwanda Flights Take Off?
The first plane carrying asylum seekers could depart in July, after Mr Sunak acknowledged it could still take 10 to 12 weeks to get flights off the ground. This would be more than two years since the first flight ever attempted under the deal was grounded amid last-minute legal challenges.
The Prime Minister did not confirm an exact date during his Downing Street press conference and it is still unclear whether flights will take place before the next general election.
Could There Be More Delays?
Yes, there is a chance of this happening. Campaigners opposing the plans, and individual migrants who are told they are to be sent to Rwanda, could seek to take the Government to court again in a bid to stop flights. Whether any legal challenges could be successful in the light of the new laws remains to be seen.
Flights will also depend on there being an aircraft available to transport migrants in the wake of difficulties finding an airline willing to charter flights. But Mr Sunak said an airfield is “on stand-by” and commercial charter planes have been booked “for specific slots”.
How Much Is This All Costing?
The cost of the troubled scheme could soar to half a billion pounds, plus hundreds of thousands more for each person deported, an investigation by Whitehall’s spending watchdog found.
Will Rwanda Flights Curb Channel Crossings and See Sunak Meet His Pledge to ‘Stop the Boats’?
No-one knows. It is thought there would need to be significant reduction in Channel crossings for the flights to be officially assessed as succeeding in having their desired deterrent effect.
But Mr Sunak has categorically promised to put an end to crossings altogether with his clear “stop the boats” catchphrase, and has routinely pointed to the Rwanda plan to achieve this, describing it as an “indispensable deterrent.”
Could This Pave the Way for Other Rwanda-Style Deals?
Not yet but the Government is exploring other options.
