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UK wins court case over collapsed Rwanda asylum deal
🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Crime & Justice

UK wins court case over collapsed Rwanda asylum deal

From BBC News · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The UK will not pay Rwanda millions over a collapsed asylum agreement, an international court has ruled.
  • Rwanda had sought over £100m, claiming the UK breached the terms of the deal signed by the previous Conservative government.
  • The Labour government, which scrapped the plan, argued it was logical no further payments were due after the agreement was cancelled.

An international court has ruled that the UK is not obligated to pay Rwanda millions of pounds over a collapsed asylum agreement. The ruling means Rwanda will not receive over £100 million it sought from the UK after the deal was cancelled.

entirely logical

— UK LawyersArguing that the asylum plan's cancellation was a natural consequence of a change in government.

The agreement, initially signed by the previous Conservative government, was intended to see the UK pay Rwanda to host asylum seekers who had arrived illegally. However, the plan was a key pledge in the Labour party's manifesto ahead of the 2024 general election.

Lawyers representing the UK argued during the three-day hearing at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that it was "entirely logical" for the plan to be scrapped when Labour came to power. They asserted that it was "simple common sense" that no further payments would be due. The UK also denied breaching parts of the deal, stating that Rwanda was not entitled to any of the relief it sought.

simple common sense

— UK LawyersDescribing the rationale for not making further payments after the asylum deal was scrapped.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had introduced the scheme as a deterrent against illegal crossings of the English Channel in small boats. The plan, first announced in 2022 by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson, faced significant challenges in both courts and Parliament.

Rwanda is not entitled to any of the forms of relief it seeks

— UK LawyersStating the UK's position to the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

Upon taking office, Labour leader Keir Starmer declared the plan "dead and buried," fulfilling a manifesto commitment. This breaking news story is being updated with further details.

dead and buried

— Keir StarmerDescribing the Labour party's stance on the asylum agreement after taking office.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by BBC News. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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