In its first significant policy shift since securing a commanding election victory earlier this month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s new Labour government has scrapped the controversial plan to fly thousands of asylum seekers from Britain to Rwanda. This decision marks a pivotal change in the UK’s approach to managing asylum claims.
The abandoned plan, originally introduced by the previous Conservative government, proposed spending £10 billion on deporting asylum seekers to the East African nation. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper disclosed on Monday that the project had already cost taxpayers £700 million without any significant implementation. This expenditure included funds for chartering flights that never departed, administrative costs, and a £290 million payment to the Rwandan government.
“It is the most shocking waste of taxpayers’ money that I have ever seen,” Cooper told parliament. The plan, announced in 2022, aimed to deter illegal immigration by sending asylum seekers to Rwanda. However, legal challenges prevented any forced deportations, with only four individuals opting to go voluntarily.
Cooper also announced that tens of thousands of asylum seekers, previously left in limbo under the threat of deportation to Rwanda, will now have their claims processed within the UK. Additionally, the Labour government intends to reverse a provision in the Illegal Migration Act that barred anyone arriving illegally since March last year from being granted asylum.
The government has pledged to expedite the processing of asylum claims, end the costly use of hotels for accommodation, and clear the backlog of applications. Cooper emphasized that this policy shift is projected to save taxpayers an estimated £7 billion over the next decade.
“We have inherited asylum Hotel California: people arrive in the asylum system and they never leave,” Cooper added, criticizing the inefficiencies of the previous system.
This policy change signifies a move towards handling asylum claims domestically, focusing on reducing costs and improving system efficiency. The Labour government aims to ensure a more humane and economically viable approach to asylum seekers, marking a significant departure from the previous administration’s strategy.
