MPs last night voted through plans to forcibly send asylum seekers to central Africa if they arrived in the UK via small boats. The bill, one of the most controversial pieces of legislation passed in decades, is expected to pass into law at some point this week after further criticisms and amendments in the Lords.
It comes after the number of people travelling by small boat to seek asylum in the UK hit a new daily record in 2024 of 534 people on Sunday. The deal will cost UK taxpayers about £1.8m for each asylum seeker, according to Whitehall's official auditor. No one has so far been deported.
In an appearance before the public accounts committee, Sir Matthew Rycroft told MPs that the government will hand over the latest payment to the Rwandan regime once the deal goes through.
"It will go out as soon as we have royal assent," he said.
The safety of Rwanda bill, which seeks to limit legal challenges by asylum seekers selected for deportation, was brought forward after Rwanda was ruled to be unsafe for asylum seekers by the supreme court.
Conservatives argue that the law will lead to a drop in the number of people travelling across the Channel in small boats to seek asylum in the UK. This, they argue, would provide Rishi Sunak with an boost in an election year.
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