PublishedJuly 10, 2024, 15:09
«Obvious Fraud»Asylum Plan Overturned: Now Rwanda Wants to Keep £220 Million
After the defeat of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer announced he would scrap the asylum plans before the first flight. However, if high-ranking Rwandan officials have their way, the British government won’t see the money back.
-
Britain’s Rwanda asylum plans have been abandoned before the first flight.
-
The country will keep the £250 million it has already received.
-
Authorities are investigating the background of the agreement in detail.
“Stop the Boats” – this was the slogan used by Rishi Sunak during the election campaign and following his election as Prime Minister to promote his plans to fly rejected migrants to Rwanda in East Africa. The flights were intended to reduce the incentive for migrants to take on the dangerous journey to Great Britain by boat.
Rwanda Plans Also a Topic in Switzerland
Instead of becoming a pioneering model for other countries, in Switzerland a similar proposal in the National Council was narrowly rejected. Now, the plans are developing into a potentially gigantic loss-making business for Great Britain – meanwhile, not a single migrant has been flown to Rwanda, with the exception of a volunteer who was presumably paid by Sunak.
Several high-ranking Rwandan government officials have announced they do not plan to repay the money already received from Britain as part of the deportation plans. Overall, Rwanda was supposed to receive up to half a billion pounds for taking in migrants. According to the British public spending regulator, as of March 2024, £220 million, or just over CHF253 million, had already been transferred to the East African country, without a single migrant being sent there.
No Clause for Refunds
There is no clause on repayment in the agreement between the two countries, says Alain Mukuralindi, Rwanda’s deputy government spokesman: “The British agreed to long-term cooperation, making this a contract. If you come and ask for cooperation and then withdraw, that is your decision – I wish you the best of luck,” says Mukuralindi.
According to Doris Uwicyeza Picard, who coordinates the migration plans with Great Britain, Rwanda is “under no obligation” to return the money. As she told the New York Times, they are staying in contact with the country to discuss the next steps – she did not elaborate on what these would be, as the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced immediately following the election that he would completely abandon the plans.
“It was clearly a complete fraud.”
Yvette Cooper, new British Home Secretary
But Sunak and his colleagues in his government may also face legal trouble: Yvette Cooper, who as the new British Home Secretary is responsible for the law enforcement authorities, among other things, announced a comprehensive investigation into the plans. “We are examining the entire system,” she said. “It was clearly a complete fraud.”
PublishedJuly 10, 2024, 15:09
«Obvious fraud»Asylum plan overturned: Now Rwanda wants to keep 220 million pounds
After the defeat of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer announced that he would bury the plans before the first flight. However, if high-ranking Rwandan officials have their way, the British will no longer see their money.
von
-
Before the first flight, Britain’s Rwanda plans are already off the table.
-
A quarter of a billion pounds that the country has already received will now be kept.
-
Meanwhile, the authorities are examining the background of the deal in detail.
“Stop the Boats” – this was the slogan used by Rishi Sunak during the election campaign and following his election as Prime Minister to promote his plans to rejected migrants by plane to Rwanda in East Africa. The flights were intended to reduce the incentive for migrants to travel by Boat the dangerous crossing to Great Britain to take on, be reduced.
Rwanda plans also a topic in Switzerland
Instead of a pioneering model for other countries, in Switzerland a The corresponding proposal in the National Council was only narrowly rejected, the plans are now developing into a potentially gigantic loss-making business for Great Britain – meanwhile not a single migrant has been flown to Rwanda, with the exception of a volunteer who presumably paid by Sunak became.
Several high-ranking Rwandan government officials have announced that they do not plan to repay the money already paid by Britain to the country as part of the deportation plans. Overall, Rwanda should Taking in migrants costs up to half a billion pounds According to the British public spending regulator, as of March 2024, £220 million, or just over CHF253 million, had already flowed into the East African country, while no migrant had yet been brought into the country.
No clause for refunds
A clause on repayment does not exist in the agreement between the two countries, says Alain Mukuralindi, Rwanda’s deputy government spokesman: The British had agreed on long-term cooperation, which turned the agreement into a contract. “If you come and ask for cooperation and now withdraw, that is your decision – I wish you the best of luck,” says Mukuralindi.
According to Doris Uwicyeza Picard, who coordinates the migration plans with Great Britain, Rwanda is under “no obligation” to return the money. As she told the New York Times, they are staying in contact with the country to discuss the next steps – she did not elaborate on what these would be, because the new Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced immediately following the election that he would completely abandon the plans.
“It was clearly a complete fraud.”
Yvette Cooper, new British Home Secretary
But Sunak and his colleagues in his government may also face legal trouble: Yvette Cooper, who as the new British Home Secretary is responsible for the law enforcement authorities, among other things, announced a comprehensive investigation into the plans. “We are examining the entire system,” she said. “It was clearly a complete fraud.”
