First illegal migrant paid to go to Rwanda

In what appears to be a turning point for the government’s Rwanda plan, the first migrant has been sent to the country from Britain. Only, it’s not actually Rwanda’s main deportation program that should stop the small boats. No, this man voluntarily moved to the Central African country after receiving an amount of £3,000. Okay for some…

In a rather confusing series of events, apart from the Rwanda law, there is also talk of a voluntary deportation plan underway. Migrants who cannot legally stay in Britain are more politely rounded up and asked to please move somewhere else, incentivized by the promise of financial help. The twist is that earlier this year the list of possible destinations for migrants under this plan was expanded to include Rwanda.

Government sources confirm that this is not part of the main Rwanda plan, which was passed by parliament last week but has yet to make a single dent in Britain’s immigration problem. Meanwhile, another problem has emerged on that front for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is hoping ahead of the local and general elections that his ‘stop the boats’ pledge will now look a little more achievable to voters. There are new reports that the Ministry of Interior has lost track of many of the migrants destined for Rwanda. Of the 5,700 people who will be deported to the country, just under 2,200 remain in contact with the government. Oh dear…

The news will certainly not contribute to confidence in the current government’s efforts to deter illegal settlers. And some of Sunak’s fiercest critics are within his own ranks. If The spectator According to reports, Tory conspirators have drawn up a ‘100 day’ policy plan in case the Prime Minister performs worse than expected in local elections – with hardened immigration proposals a top priority for a potential successor.

So when is the deportation of a migrant to Rwanda Actually a deportation of a migrant to Rwanda under the new law? Well, at least not this time. Time is running out for Mr Sunak to prove he can deliver on immigration, one of voters’ top four priorities this election year. Tap tap…