TWO LAW Lords have ruled that the government’s policy of deporting asylum seekers from around the world to Rwanda is “consistent” with the refugee convention and other legal treaties.
The controversial judgment is bound to be challenged, possibly by some of the groups that brought the legal action including charities Care4Calais, Detention Action and the civil service union PCS.
Lord Justice Lewis said that the Home Secretary failed to properly consider the individual circumstances of eight cases and those decisions must be reconsidered, which means those eight cannot currently be deported.
The government argues that deportations to Rwanda will act as a deterrent, but refugee groups say that the way to tackle Channel crossings and people traffickers is to create safe and legal routes for people to come to Britain and claim asylum, and that the government should fix a broken system by processing claims swiftly and fairly.
A planned charter flight to Rwanda was halted in June after courts removed all deportees on human rights grounds, and the European Court of Human Rights ruling the plan carried “a real risk of irreversible harm.”
Britain has so far paid Rwanda at least £140m to permanently settle and integrate deportees.
Commenting on the outcome, Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, said: “This bitterly disappointing decision draws attention to the limitations of domestic law when it comes to the UK meeting its obligations under international law.
We remain gravely concerned that the government’s Rwanda deal seriously undermines international refugee law and rides roughshod over the rights of people seeking asylum in the UK.”
Katy Chakrabortty, head of policy and advocacy at Oxfam, added: “The high court’s ruling is deeply disappointing. But just because something is legal, does not make it humane.
“The government’s plans to offshore our asylum responsibilities to Rwanda are cruel and immoral, and will do nothing to tackle the issue of dangerous small boat crossings. We need a reversal of this barbaric policy, and the creation of more safe and legal routes for those fleeing conflict and persecution to the UK.”
The legal challenge to the Rwanda policy was based on the argument that Rwanda is not a safe country and the deportations breach international treaties.
Before the former Home Secretary Priti Patel introduced the policy, three quarters of Rwandans had their asylum claims approved by Britain.
The central African country, which has a population density higher than Britain, is beset with unemployment, political oppression, human trafficking and is engaging in conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo which threatens to spill over.
Patel’s policy, which has been endorsed by her successor Suella Braverman, involves asylum seekers – wherever they come from – who arrive in Britain ‘illegally’ to be permanently sent to Rwanda with the expectation they will start a new life there.
The government’s first attempt to fly a plane to Rwanda in June failed to get off the ground when courts took all 50 people off the flight on legal grounds.A second attempt by the government was abandoned weeks after it was announced.
Earlier this year, a host of stars including rapper Akala, and Bridgerton actor Adjoa Andoh signed an open letter to the government urging a change of policy.
Britain says the Rwanda deportation strategy will help deter migrants from making the perilous trip across the Channel, and will smash the business model of people-smuggling networks.
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It cannot be illegal or RACIST for the Conservative Government to use all measures to stop an invasion of mostly young men from Africa, Eastern Europe, and Islamic nations, from illegally entering England.
One of the principal functions of Government is territorial protection; along with the protection of the indigenous Anglo-Saxon, Celtic, Irish, Catholic and Protestant heritage Subjects and their noble traditions.
England is the global Mother of Parliaments.
England’s Magna Carta concepts of Trial by Jury; Free Association, Free movement, Freedom of religion, Free Critical Speech: Debate and Discussion traditions to name a few of the gifts the English have given to the people of Planet Earth, now require England’s Anglo-Saxon heritage Subject’s protection; especially now as Christianity is now a minority faith in London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Leicester.
Labour and the political Left see an advantage in diluting England’s Catholic and Protestant indigenous working classes.
Because of England’s noble traditions, thousands of African and Islamic people have risked their lives to illegally enter England.
Every Government must be racist in protecting its Subjects and citizens.
When the mighty Roman Empire became more concerned with wealth and sexual pleasure, than securing her borders and upholding her traditions, and keeping-out the refugees and invaders.
The pagan and illiterate tribes of Europe quickly destroyed the mighty Roman Empire.
If England remains politically unable or unwilling to secure her borders, England in short order too, will be overtaken by the African and Islamic refugees and migrants; who have already arrived in shocking large numbers, demanding their luxury accommodation, and £70 a week pocket money, at the daily cost of £5m from the treasury.
England is already the most densely populated country in Western Europe; there is no room in the inn.