How best to move attention away from the Prime Minister receiving a fine over partygate? An eye-catching government announcement to fly asylum seekers 4,500 miles to Rwanda. This is what Boris Johnson is due to announce in a speech this morning as part of a government crackdown on unauthorised migrants. Fines aside, this has been in the government grid all week – though the news will still have come as a surprise to the government’s new refugees minister who said there was no possibility of it happening just eight days ago.
It’s a divisive policy that is already drawing strong criticism from Labour and refugee charities
As the Prime Minister addresses the press pack in the UK, Home Secretary Priti Patel will hold a press conference from Rwanda later today alongside the country’s foreign minister. Inside No. 10 this is viewed as a good news announcement that finally deals with one of their biggest vulnerabilities in an election: small boats crossing the Channel.
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