The UK government is under fire as Labour's shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, condemns its Rwanda asylum scheme as "unworkable" and "extortionately expensive." The controversial policy, which aims to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, has faced legal challenges and widespread criticism.
Cooper accused ministers of "chasing headlines" rather than addressing the root causes of the UK's immigration challenges. She argued that the plan would do little to deter Channel crossings while costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds.
Legal Hurdles and Rising Costs
The Rwanda scheme has been stalled since June 2022 when the European Court of Human Rights issued an injunction blocking the first deportation flight. Since then, the government has paid Rwanda £140 million with no deportations taking place.
"This is a failing policy from a failing government," Cooper stated, highlighting that the Home Office's own assessment showed the scheme would only cover 1% of asylum seekers arriving in the UK.
Alternative Solutions Proposed
Labour has called for a different approach, including:
- Strengthening border security with proper enforcement
- Establishing a new cross-border police unit
- Clearing the asylum backlog through efficient processing
- Targeting people-smuggling networks
The party argues these measures would be more effective than the Rwanda plan, which they describe as a "gimmick" that won't solve systemic issues.
Government Defends Controversial Policy
Ministers maintain that the Rwanda scheme will act as a deterrent to dangerous Channel crossings. A government spokesperson said: "We remain committed to this innovative approach to break the business model of people smugglers."
However, with legal challenges ongoing and costs mounting, the policy's future remains uncertain as political tensions over immigration continue to rise.
