Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Rwanda deportation plan 'dead and buried': Starmer

Rwanda deportation plan 'dead and buried': Starmer

KEIR STARMER has announced that he would cancel the plan to fly asylum seekers from Britain to Rwanda, marking his first major policy move since winning the recent election.

The Conservative government initially introduced the plan in 2022, aiming to send migrants who arrived in Britain without permission to Rwanda, to deter small boat crossings. Legal challenges prevented any deportations under this plan.


In his first press conference as prime minister, Starmer on Saturday said the policy would be scrapped because it would have only removed about 1 per cent of asylum seekers and failed as a deterrent.

"The Rwanda scheme was dead and buried before it started. It's never been a deterrent," Starmer said. "I'm not prepared to continue with gimmicks that don't act as a deterrent."

Starmer, who secured one of the largest parliamentary majorities in recent history, now faces challenges including improving public services and reviving the economy.

During the Downing Street press conference, Starmer answered several questions but gave few specifics about his plans to address national issues. He emphasised the need to take tough decisions early on but did not specify any tax changes.

Starmer plans to establish "mission delivery boards" to focus on priority areas like the health service and economic growth.

The question of stopping asylum seekers from crossing from France was a significant topic during the six-week election campaign. Supporters of the Rwanda policy believed it would disrupt people trafficking, while critics argued it was immoral and unworkable.

Last November, the UK Supreme Court declared the policy unlawful, stating Rwanda could not be considered a safe third country. This prompted the UK government to sign a new treaty with Rwanda and pass legislation to override the court's decision, which was still facing legal challenges.

The British government had already paid Rwanda hundreds of millions of pounds to set up accommodation and hire officials to process asylum seekers, money that cannot be recovered.

Starmer's government plans to create a Border Security Command, combining staff from the police, intelligence agencies, and prosecutors to work with international agencies to combat people smuggling.

Sonya Sceats, CEO of Freedom from Torture, welcomed Starmer's announcement. "We applaud Keir Starmer for moving immediately to close the door on this shameful scheme that played politics with the lives of people fleeing torture and persecution," she said.

(With inputs from Reuters)

More For You

LEAD Amit 1 INSET Rishi Sunak GettyImages 1258681655
Rishi Sunak
Getty Images

'I am English': Sunak asserts as ethnic minorities debate identity politics in Britain

FORMER prime minister Rishi Sunak has made cultural and sociological history by becoming the first prominent personality to say a brown person can be not only British, but also English.

He dismissed as “ridiculous” the suggestion from his former home secretary, Suella Braverman, that Englishness “must be rooted in ancestry, heritage, and, yes, ethnicity” – in other words, the person has to be white.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco plans to give away expiring food in waste reduction trial

Tesco’s latest move comes as part of a broader effort by supermarkets to address this issue

Getty images.

Tesco plans to give away expiring food in waste reduction trial

In a groundbreaking move to reduce food waste, Tesco, the UK's largest supermarket chain, is set to trial a new initiative where expiring food will be given away to customers for free at the end of each day. This trial is part of Tesco’s wider strategy to cut food waste in half by the end of 2025 and contribute to the global push for sustainability. The initiative will involve offering already discounted "yellow sticker" items foods nearing their expiration date at no cost to customers after 21:30 in selected Tesco Express stores.

This plan has the potential to make a significant impact on food waste reduction, especially in the context of rising food insecurity and growing environmental concerns. The trial will be rolled out in a small number of Tesco Express stores across the UK, although the specific locations and start dates have not yet been disclosed. Tesco’s decision follows an ongoing commitment to sustainability and aims to address the dual challenges of food waste and food insecurity in the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sara Sharif: Court upholds jail terms for relatives

Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool and Faisal Malik. (Image credit: Surrey Police)

Sara Sharif: Court upholds jail terms for relatives

https://www.easterneye.biz/sara-sharif-s-parents-appeal-life-sentences/A COURT on Thursday (13) upheld lengthy prison terms handed to the father and stepmother of a 10-year-old British-Pakistani girl who was killed after suffering years of torture and abuse.

The trial of Urfan Sharif and his wife Beinash Batool caused waves of revulsion in the country at the horrific way they had treated Sara Sharif.

Keep ReadingShow less
Southport stabbings: Terrorism watchdog rejects definition change

FILE PHOTO: Riot police hold back protesters near a burning police vehicle in Southport, England (Photo: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Southport stabbings: Terrorism watchdog rejects definition change

TERRORISM watchdog has rejected calls to redefine terrorism following last summer's tragic Southport murders, while recommending a new offence to tackle those intent on mass killings without clear ideological motives.

Jonathan Hall KC, the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, published his highly anticipated report on Thursday (13), concluding that the existing definition of terrorism should remain unchanged despite growing concerns about violent attackers with unclear motives.

Keep ReadingShow less
Commonwealth wreath-laying ceremony held in London

A military piper, choir, and the Sikh soldiers of the British Army took part in the ceremony.

Commonwealth wreath-laying ceremony held in London

A WREATH-LAYING ceremony was held at the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill in London on 10 March to honour Commonwealth servicemen and women who fought in the First and Second World Wars.

Lord Boateng, chairman of the Memorial Gates Council, led the event, highlighting the importance of remembering those who served.

Keep ReadingShow less