PA
Rishi Sunak defended the plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as Sir Keir Starmer mocked it as a costly “gimmick” which is not making progress.
The Prime Minister would not say when challenged how many refugees the UK would accept from Rwanda under the plans, but insisted stopping small boats crossing the Channel requires an “effective deterrent and returns agreement”.
But Sir Keir said the plan gives Rwanda “hundreds of millions of pounds for nothing in return”.
The leaders’ exchanges took place at an excitable session of Prime Minister’s Questions, prompting multiple interventions from Deputy Speaker Dame Eleanor Laing.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons: “If the purpose of the Rwanda gimmick was to solve a political headache of the Tories’ own making, to get people out of the country who they simply couldn’t deal with, then it’s been a resounding success – after all they’ve managed to send three home secretaries there, an achievement for which the whole country can be grateful.
“So apart from members of his own Cabinet, how many people has the Prime Minister sent to Rwanda?”
Mr Sunak replied: “We will do everything it takes to get this scheme working so that we can indeed stop the boats and that’s why this week we have signed a new legally binding treaty with Rwanda which together with new legislation will address all the concerns that have been raised.
“Because everyone should be in no doubt about our absolute commitment to stop the boats and get flights off.”
Mr Sunak said “deterrence is critical” before criticising Labour for pledging to scrap the scheme, adding: “Once again instead of being on the side of the British people, he finds himself on the side of the people smugglers.”
Sir Keir Starmer said the Government had scaled down its predictions for how many people would be deported to Rwanda, adding: “The current number of people sent there remains stubbornly consistent – zero.
“At the same time, Article 19 of the treaty says the parties shall make arrangements for the United Kingdom to resettle a portion of Rwanda’s most vulnerable refugees in the United Kingdom.
“So, how many refugees from Rwanda will be coming here to the UK under the treaty?”
“So apart from members of his own Cabinet, how many people has the Prime Minister sent to Rwanda?”
Rishi Sunak said the treaty “addresses all the concerns of the Supreme Court” before again attacking Labour’s approach.
Sir Keir Starmer questioned if the Prime Minister had read the latest deal, saying: “Article 4 says the scheme is capped at Rwanda’s capacity, that is 100; Article 5 says Rwanda can turn them away if they want; Article 19 says we actually have to take refugees from Rwanda.
“How much did this fantastic deal cost us?”
Mr Sunak replied: “As the Home Secretary was crystal clear about, there is no incremental money that has been provided. This is … ensuring that the concerns of the Supreme Court have all been addressed in a legally binding treaty that will allow us to operationalise the scheme.”
Sir Keir continued: “Annexe A says on top of the £140 million he has already showered on Rwanda, when we send people there under this treaty we have to pay for their accommodation and their upkeep for five years.
“That is not all, this morning a Government minister admitted that anyone we send to Rwanda who commits a crime can be returned to us.”
Referring to claims that James Cleverly called the plan ‘batshit’, Sir Keir added: “I am beginning to see why the Home Secretary said the Rwanda scheme was something to do with ‘bat’, I think, was it?
“What does he first think attracted Mr Kagame to hundreds of millions of pounds for nothing in return?”
Rishi Sunak replied: “The simple point is there is a simple question here. If you believe in stopping the boats, as we on this side of the House do, you need to have an effective deterrent and returns agreement. It is as simple as that.”
Referring to Labour MPs’ lobbying to prevent deportation flights of foreign criminals, the Prime Minister added: “He is not interested in stopping the boats, which is why he is not interested in the Rwanda plan.”
Sir Keir said the Rwandan Government “saw this Prime Minister coming a mile off”, adding: “You can only imagine their delight, their sheer disbelief, when having already banked £140 million of British taxpayer money without housing a single asylum seeker, the Prime Minister appears again with another offer they can’t refuse.
“A gimmick that will send taxpayers’ money to Rwanda, refugees from Rwanda to Britain, and won’t stop the boats.
“There was mention of Margaret Thatcher… (how did the Tory party) go from ‘up yours Delors’ to ‘take our money Kagame’?”
Mr Sunak said Sir Keir can “roleplay Margaret Thatcher all he wants, but when it comes to Europe his answer is the same – yes, yes, yes.”
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