Priti Patel has insisted that Rwanda is a “safe” nation, regardless of warnings from Foreign Office officers of torture and killings.
The newest defence from the house secretary comes after court docket paperwork revealed officers within the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) had issues concerning the plan to ship unlawful migrants to the central African nation.
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One unnamed FCDO employee mentioned torture and “even killings” are accepted in Rwanda. The UK excessive commissioner to Rwanda in 2021 warned that the nation “has been accused of recruiting refugees to conduct armed operations in neighbouring countries”.
But Ms Patel mentioned: “Well, actually, Rwanda is a safe country.”
“All our work has shown that and the government-to-government work has shown that too,” she added.
“You are in fact referring to feedback constituted of officers in a distinct authorities division, however in fact, it is the Home Office that has led the Economic Development Migration Partnership, which is our resettlement partnership to Rwanda.
“Rwanda is a safe country and all our work with the government of Rwanda shows that.”
No one has but been despatched to Rwanda, after the primary flight to the nation was stopped on the eleventh hour by authorized challenges.
Charities and asylum seekers are presently concerned in authorized motion with the UK authorities over the scheme.
On Wednesday, Lord Justice Lewis dominated that 4 extracts from recommendation from the FCDO to the Home Office on the plan might be withheld from the general public, in addition to some phrases in different elements of the doc.
The authorities had been in search of to maintain 10 passages utterly below wraps.
A full listening to is scheduled to happen subsequent month on whether or not the plan is lawful or not.
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Asked which of Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak could be finest positioned to ship the Rwanda coverage, Ms Patel declined to endorse both candidate.
She mentioned: “Well, it’s government policy to deliver the resettlement scheme to Rwanda. So this isn’t about any particular candidate – this is the work of the government.
“It is ready in stone by the brand new plan for immigration, which was printed in March final 12 months.”
Both Mr Sunak and Ms Truss have backed the Rwanda coverage as a part of their campaigns to be the subsequent Tory chief.
Source: information.sky.com”