Just few hours after he was elected, the new Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, publicly announced that “the Rwanda deportation scheme is dead and buried” prompting enormous relief and respite within the affected Gambian migrants.
The Point reported throughout the legal proceedings, debates and party bickering over the issue including political commentators and legal experts who maintained that deporting people to one of the most repressive regimes was “unconceivable”.
Consequently, following several stories regarding the subject, on April 24, 2024, this correspondent reported that the “UK government had finally approved one of the most controversial and contentious so-called “Deportation Bill” when the House of Lords reluctantly decided to approve the plan; thus paving the way to transfer Gambian asylum seekers who crossed the English Channel to Rwanda”.
Subsequently, an affected Gambian national who frequently contacted The Point to discuss his status said: “It is like a miracle. We never contemplate this turnaround. Many thanks for the support and encouragement of abiding by the law and respecting the rules...”
The opposition has calculated that the defunct scheme cost the British tax payers over £300 million.
Prime Minister Starmer thus noted that “Rwanda scheme was dead and buried before it started… as the scheme has never been a deterrent. In fact it would only deport less than one percent of small boat arrivals”.
Conversely, former Conservative leader, Rishi Sunak, publicly apologised to the country and his fellow officials for his party’s worst defeat in almost a century.
The Labour party was able to win 412 seats in the 650 seat of the House of Commons while the Conservatives were able to gain 121 causing several former ministers failing to win their various constituencies.
The Point cannot verify the number of Gambians involved as names and countries of origin were either concealed or restricted thus preventing this correspondent to ascertain the exact numbers.
Whatsoever, the Rwanda policy was condemned by the law society of England noting that “raises serious concerns for the rule of law and access to justice”.
The UN High commissioner for refugees said: “It is all wrong and sets a catastrophic precedent”.
Amnesty International denounced it as “dreadful”.
The outspoken Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby also described it as “ungodly”.
