Germany is considering deporting migrants to Rwanda, where it could use asylum facilities paid for by the U.K., after Keir Starmer scrapped the scheme on which the U.K. has already spent at least £318 million. The Telegraph has the story.
Joachim Stamp, Germany’s Migration Commissioner, proposed using Rwanda as a third party country for migrants amid growing pressure on the coalition Government to restrict and deter asylum seekers from entering the EU.
He suggested it could be part of a wider move by the EU to use existing asylum facilities in Rwanda, initially intended for Rishi Sunak’s scheme to deport illegal migrants to the East African nation.
Sir Keir Starmer scrapped the Rwanda scheme immediately after winning the election in July, with the money saved by doing so switched to creating a new Border Security Command with the intention of smashing people-smuggling gangs using anti-terror style powers.
The U.K. has already spent at least £318 million to pay for asylum facilities and boost economic development in Rwanda, which cannot be recouped.
Under Mr. Stamp’s proposal, the asylum procedures in Rwanda would be conducted under the supervision of the United Nations. “We currently have no third country that has come forward, with the exception of Rwanda,” he said in a podcast by Table Media, published on Thursday. …
Members of the opposition CDU party visited Rwanda nine months ago as part of their new policy to process migrants offshore in third party countries.
Leading CDU figures claimed the plans would deter migrants from attempting to cross the Mediterranean and argued that countries such as Rwanda would be willing to make deals.
A spokesman for Rwanda told the Telegraph the country would be open to discussing an asylum deal with Germany, saying: “Rwanda has been very public that they are happy to work with anyone on this who shares their desire to find a long-term solution to the migration issue.”
The German move has, however, sparked a backlash from senior Tory MPs involved in the Rwanda scheme while in Government.
James Cleverly, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: “Labour’s first move in Government was to scrap the Rwanda plan. Now Germany want to use the facilities we built. The only people who benefit from Labour’s reckless immigration policies are people-smugglers and the EU.”
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