PM puts Royal Navy in charge of Channel as he defends Rwanda migration plan
BORIS Johnson has put the Navy in command of the English Channel, as he defended a multimillion-pound scheme to send some asylum seekers who make the crossing in small boats to Rwanda.
The Prime Minister conceded yesterday that he expects plans to detain and fly migrants more than 4,000 miles on chartered planes to the east African country to be challenged in the courts.
But after widespread criticism from opposition MPs and refugee charities, he denied the expected removal of thousands of people in the coming years at the expense of the taxpayer is “draconian and lacking in compassion”.
In a speech in Kent, Mr Johnson said the Royal Navy would take over “operational command” from Border Force in the Channel to ensure “no boat makes it to the UK undetected”.
Around 250 to 300 military personnel will be dedicated to police migrants in the English Channel on busy days, it is understood. They will work on ships and aircraft and will include Army personnel, freeing up Border Force staff for processing.
An initial £120m is expected to be given to the Rwandan government under an economic deal, with Home Secretary Priti Patel striking an agreement during a visit to the capital Kigali.
She said the “vast majority” of those who arrive in the UK “illegally” will be detained and considered for relocation to Rwanda but declined to share specific details after it was reported it would only apply to male migrants.
The number of people who can be relocated will be “unlimited”, with the first due to receive formal notifications within weeks, and the first flights expected to take place in the coming months.
Mr Johnson pledged £50m in new funding for boats, aerial surveillance and military personnel to help ensure the measures are a “very considerable deterrent” to crossings.
And he said the individuals who succeed in making it to the UK “will be taken not to hotels at vast public expense” and instead will be housed in Greek-style detention centres, with the first opening “shortly”.
Ms Patel was asked by reporters if she was “really sure about this idea” in light of a deal struck between the Israelis and Rwanda a few years ago which saw “many of those people ending up in the hands of people traffickers, murdered, raped, tortured, and enslaved”.
She replied: “The answer is yes”, adding Rwanda had resettled more than 130,000 refugees from Africa and neighbouring countries - and they “do that incredibly well”.
Labour accused the Prime Minister of trying to distract from the partygate scandal with the “unworkable, unethical and extortionate” migration scheme.