In one of his first major acts as Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer has pulled the plug on the Conservatives' flagship Rwanda deportation scheme, declaring the multi-million pound policy 'dead and buried' before it ever saw a single flight take off.
The move signals a dramatic and immediate shift in the UK's approach to immigration and border control. The controversial plan, a cornerstone of Rishi Sunak's premiership, has been axed after being widely criticised as unworkable, unethical, and exorbitantly expensive.
A New Chapter with France
Scrapping the scheme is not the end of the story. The new Labour government is poised to forge a new security agreement with France, aimed squarely at dismantling the criminal smuggling networks responsible for the dangerous small boat crossings in the English Channel.
This cooperative approach marks a significant departure from the previous government's strategy. Rather than focusing on offshore deportations, the new pact will emphasise on-the-ground intelligence sharing and joint operational efforts to prevent boats from launching in the first place.
The Cost of a Failed Policy
Official figures reveal the staggering cost of the abandoned Rwanda policy. The UK government had already paid £220 million to the Rwandan government without a single asylum seeker being relocated. Projected costs were estimated to balloon to an astonishing £500 million over the next five years, with an additional £50,000 per person deported.
Labour has condemned this as a 'gross misuse of public funds', especially amidst a cost-of-living crisis. The funds from the defunct scheme are expected to be redirected towards bolstering the new cross-channel enforcement unit.
What Happens Next?
The focus now turns to the specifics of the UK-France deal. While details are still being finalised, the agreement is expected to include:
- Enhanced patrols and surveillance on French beaches.
- Increased resources for processing asylum claims within the UK to tackle the backlog.
- A dedicated unit to target and prosecute people-smuggling gangs.
This 'pragmatic' approach, as described by ministers, aims to break the cycle of dangerous crossings while ensuring a more efficient and humane asylum system. The government faces the immense challenge of delivering on its promise to secure Britain's borders, a task that has confounded its predecessors for years.
