Britain Desk, Delhi Magazine: The newly appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, announced on Saturday, July 6, that the controversial project to expel migrants to Rwanda will be scrapped. This initiative, proposed by the previous Conservative government led by Rishi Sunak, aimed to send migrants or asylum seekers to the East African country without the possibility of returning to the UK.
During a press conference following his first Council of Ministers, Starmer stated, “The project was dead and buried before it even began. It has never been a deterrent. I am not ready to continue with gimmicky measures.”
Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer chaired his first Cabinet this morning.
He outlined the government’s mission to restore Britain to the service of working people. pic.twitter.com/M7d8e9k8Dz
— UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) July 6, 2024
While in opposition, the Labour Party leader had already declared his intention to terminate the project, which was introduced in 2022 but never put into action. In the spring, the previous British Parliament had passed a law permitting these expulsions, after an earlier attempt was blocked by the Supreme Court at the end of 2023. The plan had been for deportations to begin this summer, and authorities had started detaining migrants in early May in preparation. However, with the general election looming, the courts ordered the release of dozens of detainees.
Immigration was a central issue in the recent election campaign. Labour pledged to tackle illegal immigration, particularly the arrival of migrants via small boats across the Channel. The new government plans to use counter-terrorism resources to combat people-smuggling networks and aims to enhance cooperation with European nations, especially France.
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Starmer also committed to increasing resources for processing asylum claims in the UK, which have faced significant backlogs for years. Over 13,500 migrants have crossed the Channel to reach the UK so far this year, underscoring the urgent need for effective immigration policies.