Rwanda could revive migrant deal if Farage is PM

RWANDA – Rwanda has opened the door to reviving its migrant deportation scheme with Britain if Nigel Farage becomes prime minster.

Farage is promising to deport 600 000 asylum seekers within the first five years of a Reform government, should his party win the next general election.

As part of Reform’s plans to tackle the small boats crisis, titled ‘Operation Restoring Justice’, Farage has said he will negotiate deals with third countries – such as Rwanda – to send migrants abroad. The previous Tory government signed an agreement to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, although no flights ever took off and the deal was later scrapped by Labour.

Yolande Makolo, Rwanda’s Government Spokesman, told The Times that the African country would consider reintroducing the scheme.

But this would require the UK to pay an outstanding £50 million that Rwanda claims it is still owed from the Tories’ Migration and Economic Development Partnership.

The Home Office denied Britain still owes money to Rwanda from the migrant deal.

A government spokesman told the newspaper: “As stated clearly in Notes Verbale between the UK and Rwanda, no further payments in relation to this policy will be made and Rwanda has waived any additional payments.”