The Tory Government plans to use an “inhumane” scheme to process asylum applications through an offshore site, it is understood.
According to a report in The Times, Boris Johnson is looking to force applicants for asylum to be processed in Rwanda, in a bid to discourage channel crossings and is close to making a formal statement on the scheme soon.
It has also been reported that serious concerns have been raised over the readiness of the plan as it has been met with considerable resistance from Tory MPs and peers in the House of Lords. However, plans to process asylum seekers in Rwanda are yet to be finalised.
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The controversial measures are set to be included in the Nationality and Borders Bill which the Government is looking to pass before the Queen’s Speech in April.
However, The Times also reported through one of their sources that Boris Johnson “wobbled” over pushing the scheme through as concerns were raised by colleagues that the measures were not ready.
The Times source said: “He wanted to go ahead with it but it’s just not ready,
“It’s close but there are still a lot of things in the balance.”
It has been reported that the scheme would work by the Government flying asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing with Britain compensating Rwanda with millions of pounds as part of any deal.
Discussions surrounding the plans have been highly secretive with Government ministers only mentioning “country X” during meetings.
The Times also reported that previous plans to process asylum applications in Albania and Ghana were similarly discussed before being ditched following disclosure of the discussions.
And Priti Patel has said to have considered other offshore sites including decommissioned oil rigs, ferries and Ascension Island – which is thousands of miles offshore – to process applications for migrants to come to the UK for refuge.
The plans have been described by the SNP as “inhumane” while Labour have called them “deeply shameful”.
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