PM blames Labour for flights delay

RISHI Sunak has acknowledged he will miss his self-imposed spring target for getting the Rwanda scheme off the ground but insisted: “We will start the flights and we will stop the boats.”

The Prime Minister said “enough is enough” and MPs and peers will sit through the night (last night) if necessary to get the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill passed.

However, Mr Sunak acknowledged it will still be 10 to 12 weeks before the first plane carrying asylum seekers takes off. After that, there will be “multiple flights a month through the summer and beyond”.

He blamed Labour opposition to the plan for the delay, although his own Government had not taken earlier opportunities to rush the legislation through Parliament.