Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Islamic endowments in occupied al-Quds: Occupation forces arrested two Al-Aqsa guards and raided the mosque's prayer halls
Iranian state TV: Iranian drones on their way to the occupied territories
IRGC Chief of Staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi: The Iranian nation has proven its resolve, never surrendering in the face of aggression
IRGC spokesperson: This operation will continue and will destabilize the occupation regime
IRGC spokesperson: The 19th wave of Operation True Promise 3 put the Israeli regime's overwhelmed defense system on alert
Al Mayadeen correspondent in Iran: A new wave of Iranian missiles has been launched toward the occupied Palestinian territories.
Yemeni Armed Forces: The battle is the battle of the entire Ummah and for its salvation.
Yemeni Armed Forces: We cannot tolerate any US attack or aggression in support of the Israeli enemy against Iran because it means the confiscation of the freedom, independence, and dignity of our nation.
Yemeni Armed Forces: The Israeli enemy seeks complete control over the region and implements the Zionist plan with open American support.
Yemeni Armed Forces: We affirm Yemen's principled position in rejecting the Zionist aggression against our brothers in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and any Arab or Islamic country.

UK Tories splurge $900mln to send only 4 migrants to Rwanda: Home Sec.

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 23 Jul 2024 19:08
  • 1 Shares
3 Min Read

Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly accuses new Home Secretary Yvette Cooper of faking numbers and calls Labour out for abandoning the Rwanda strategy.

Listen
  • x
  • Protesters stand outside the Supreme Court in London, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023. (AP)
    Protesters stand outside the Supreme Court in London, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023 (AP)

The Conservative administration under Rushi Sunak has paid Rwanda £700 million ($900 million) in exchange for allowing it to accept migrants from the UK, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told parliament on Monday.

Under the contentious program that the Labour administration intends to scrap, Cooper stated that just four voluntary migrants have been transported to Rwanda.

A deal to expedite the transfer of certain migrants who enter the UK via the English Channel to Rwanda, where their claims will be handled, was struck in April 2022 between Rwanda and the former UK Conservative government.

Declared "dead and buried," the proposal would adopt a new strategy to deal with the migration issue by the recently elected Labour government.

Cooper informed the House of Commons that the former administration intended to fund its deportation program from Rwanda with "over £10B ($12.9B)", calling it the "most shocking waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen," which prompted a response from Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly who accused her of using “made up numbers.”

Read next: UK Home Office faces legal challenge over lone minors bound for Rwanda

Cleverly condemned the new Labour administration for abandoning the Rwanda strategy due to "ideological grounds".

Related News

UK ups family visa requirements in new anti-immigration law

UK pays Rwanda $126mln as part of new asylum deal

In the meantime, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his proposal to reform training in order to reduce the need for businesses to hire foreign labor, stressing that the UK's reliance on immigration is growing as a result of a shortage of skills for the workplace.

Labour is under pressure to address the problem of legal migration as proposals to curb it have been sparked by Brexit. The party wants to lower the demand for hiring people from outside by better coordinating training with migration policies, although it does not have a set migration objective.

In order to solve skills shortages in important industries, Skills England, a new proposed government organization, is expected to work with other consultants and is anticipated to be established from now up to a year.

While admitting that his strategy won't work immediately, Starmer laid out plans for Skills England to collaborate closely with immigration consultants to create training programs for sectors of the economy that now depend on foreign labor.

The United Kingdom and Rwanda signed a migration agreement in 2022, under which people identified by the UK government as undocumented migrants or asylum seekers would be deported to Rwanda for processing, asylum, and resettlement.

The plan has drawn criticism from human rights organizations and some politicians who believe the measure will not help stem the flow of migrants. The first deportation of migrants from the UK to Rwanda was scheduled for June 14, 2022. However, the flight was canceled at the last minute due to the European Court of Human Rights ruling.

In the same context, an advocate has asserted that the British government's plan to send asylum-seekers from the UK to Rwanda amounts to human trafficking. 

Meanwhile, the UK government claims that the prospect of deportation to Rwanda will discourage migrants from undertaking the perilous journey across the Channel. Between January and March, over 4,600 migrants crossed the Channel, surpassing previous figures for the same period.

  • James Cleverly
  • Keir Starmer
  • Tories
  • migrants
  • United Kingdom
  • Rwanda
  • Yvette Cooper

Most Read

Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Iran’s Bavar-373 air defense system on display during a military drill (Mehr News Agency)
Politics

Iran intercepts Israeli drones near Tehran, multiple cities

The Israeli Iron Dome air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, June 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran warns aid to 'Israel' will be treated as aggression

US President Donald Trump arrives to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Friday, June 20, 2025, en route to Montclair, New Jersey (AP)
Politics

Trump, Erdogan made covert attempts to hold talks with Iran: Axios

Ansar Allah supporters surround a giant Iranian flag during an anti-US and anti-'Israel' weekly rally in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, June 20, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US ships in Red Sea will be targeted if US attacks Iran: YAF

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS