Sunday 25 September 2022 11:14 PM Legal battle on Rwanda flights for migrants could drag on for up to a YEAR trends now
Meddling by Left-wing campaigners will leave the Rwanda asylum scheme in legal limbo for up to a year, the Daily Mail can disclose today.
Attempts to fly Channel migrants to Africa will remain on hold until a series of appeals have been heard in the courts.
Officials fear the case will ultimately face a final appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, causing further delay.
Flight that was due to be the first to transport migrants to Rwanda under new scheme
Last night there was fury at the hold-ups instigated by the charities Care 4 Calais and Detention Action and by the Public and Commercial Services trade union which represents Border Force staff.
Tom Hunt, Tory MP for Ipswich, said: 'The Left-wing lawyers and organisations that are behind these legal challenges are essentially working against the interests not just of hard-working British taxpayers but also genuine refugees who are fleeing persecution from war-torn countries.
'The individuals illegally entering our country are coming from a safe European country. Under no circumstances should they ever be allowed to stay here.'
Alp Mehmet of Migration Watch UK, which campaigns for tougher border control, said: 'It's disgraceful that a trade union should be spending its members' money in this way.
'It amounts to civil servants working against government policy, and does no favours for democracy in this country.' The Mail understands the prospect of introducing 'pushback' tactics against migrant boats in the Channel has also been virtually ruled out by new Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
Although the Home Office has spent around £1million on specialist equipment while developing the tactics – and even introduced laws allowing their use – they are highly unlikely to proceed.
'We don't think pushbacks will be fruitful, although nothing is off the table,' a government source said.
Turning dinghies around in the Channel would require the French to accept the boats back and Emmanuel Macron's government has so far refused to do this.
The number of small boat migrants to have reached
