UK dismisses Irish demand to return migrants crossing from NI pointing out ... trends now
The UK is on a collision course with Dublin today after ministers flatly rejected demands to take back asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland.
The Republic has voiced alarm that large numbers are taking advantage of the invisible border on the island to avoid being deported to Rwanda.
Taoiseach Simon Harris has vowed to pass new laws to facilitate returns of migrants, after the country's courts declared the UK cannot be classed as 'safe' due to the pact with the African state.
However, British government sources insisted: 'We won't accept any asylum returns from the EU via Ireland until the EU accepts that we can send them back to France.
'We are fully focused on operationalising our Rwanda scheme and will continue working with the French to stop the boats from crossing the Channel.'
In a round of interviews this morning, Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride underlined Rishi Sunak's view that the row shows the Rwanda policy is already working - even though the first flights are months away.
'We are not in the business of having more illegal migrants in the UK,' Mr Stride said. 'What you are seeing now are the early signs of the deterrent effect works.'
Former Cabinet minister David Jones told MailOnline that even if migrants were returned to Belfast they could simply cross into Ireland again due to the century-old Common Travel Area.
'They may start to understand why we think Rwanda is a good idea,' Mr Jones said.
In a sign of the rising tensions, the Irish had been talking up a meeting between justice minister Helen McEntee and Home Secretary James Cleverly in London today.
However, Mr Cleverly had stepped aside due to other engagements, and Ms McEntee will instead hold talks with Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.
An Irish government plan to send asylum seekers back to Britain was met with a point-blank refusal last night. Irish justice minister Helen McEntee (pictured) has said that more than 80 per cent of the country's asylum seekers now cross the border from Northern Ireland
Rishi Sunak told Sky News the developments in Ireland showed that the Rwanda asylum scheme was 'already having an impact because people are worried about coming here'
The republic remains part of the European Union which has consistently blocked British attempts to resolve the Channel crisis with a returns agreement to France.
Irish justice minister Helen McEntee has said that more than 80 per cent of the country's asylum seekers now cross the border from Northern Ireland.
Ms McEntee said last week she was introducing 'fast processing' in a bid to deal with the influx of people claiming refuge.
'My focus as minister for justice is making sure that we have an effective immigration structure and system,' she said.
'That's why I'll have emergency legislation at cabinet this week to make sure that we can effectively return people to the UK, and that's why I'll be meeting the Home Secretary [James Cleverly] to raise these issues on Monday.'
However, the British Home Secretary has cancelled that meeting, saying that he has a diary clash, with the Government instead being represented today by Chris Heaton-Harris, the
