The government will seek to appeal against a court ruling which deemed plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda are unlawful, Rishi Sunak has said.
Court of Appeal judges ruled Rwanda had not provided enough safeguards to prove it is a “safe third country”.
The prime minister said he “fundamentally disagrees” with the ruling and said the government will challenge it in the Supreme Court.
The charity which brought the challenge welcomed the ruling.
A spokesperson for Asylum Aid said the decision was a “vindication of the importance of the rule of law and basic fairness”.
But Mr Sunak said that while he respects the court’s decision he will do “whatever is necessary” to disrupt criminal gangs operating small boat crossings.
He said: “I strongly believe the Rwandan government has provided the assurances necessary to ensure there is no real risk that asylum-seekers relocated under the Rwanda policy would be wrongly returned to third countries – something that the Lord Chief Justice agrees with.
“Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda. We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the policy would “smash the business model of the people smuggling gangs” saying she was “determined to deliver and I won’t take a backward step”.
She is expected to respond to the ruling in the House of Commons later.
Source: Fiilafmonline/BBC
