The British government has unveiled a £1.4bn plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda while their applications are processed by the Home Office, a move that has already been described as “cruel and nasty” by the Refugee Council, “unworkable, unethical and extortionate” by shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper and “evil” by Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party.
The policy arrives neatly in time for next month’s local elections, when Conservative MPs around the country will seek to court anti-immigration votes by appearing tough on refugees arriving at the English Channel, with more attempted crossings by dinghy likely as the late spring weather improves.
