The government said they would continue to defend their Rwanda policy in court
Downing Street have said there are no plans to cancel a deportation flight to Rwanda tomorrow, even if there is only one person on board.
The original number, thought to have been 37 people, has been dramatically reduced to 11 following several successful legal challenges relating to modern slavery and human rights abuse claims.
On Monday morning, charity Care 4 Calais said: “20 people have had their Rwanda tickets cancelled but 11 still have live tickets for tomorrow.
“These include four Iranians, two Iraqis, two Albanians and one Syrian.”
The government said they would continue to defend their position in the courts and had no plans to scrap Tuesday’s scheduled flight, regardless of the number of people on board.
A private charter plane is booked for departure late evening on Tuesday from Stansted airport.
Over the weekend, in an unprecedented intervention, the Prince of Wales reportedly described the policy as “appalling”.
A spokesman for the prime minister said that Boris Johnson had nothing but respect and admiration for the future monarch, noting that His Royal Highness had been vocal on a number of issues in the past.
On Sunday, hundreds of human rights activists assembled outside Brook House detention centre near Gatwick airport, in opposition to Government plans to start deporting migrants to the east African country from Tuesday.
“The Home Office are human traffickers,” read one sign. “If fleeing danger is illegal, the law is wrong,” read another.
Detainees inside could be heard shouting “help us” and “no Rwanda” in unison with the assembled protestors.
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In a shock revelation earlier on Sunday, Rwanda’s lead negotiator for the deportation agreement confirmed that refugees sent to the east African country by the Home office would not be eligible for a UK visa.
“This is not an offshore processing mechanism,” she told LBC Radio. “They are being sent for relocation into Rwandan society”
She said the country is ready to accept “tens of thousands” of people, but will start on a gradual basis.
The first deportation flight to east Africa has been scheduled for this week, departing on Tuesday from Stansted airport and arriving in Kigali the following morning.
Three further flights have been identified by charities, all scheduled for departure in the next few weeks.
Around 31 people were originally been told they could be on that flight on Tuesday. This number has now dwindled to around 11 people – after several legal challenges were lodged by charities at the High Court on Friday.
Campaigners will take their fight against the government’s policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda to the Court of Appeal on Monday.
Related Links
- EXCL: UK’s first Rwanda deportation flight confirmed for Tuesday evening
- Prince Charles brands Rwanda deportation scheme ‘appalling’
- First migrants to be sent to Rwanda in a fortnight, say Home Office
