Deportation Flights to Rwanda Set to Take Off “Within Weeks”
Deportation flights to Rwanda are gearing up to start “within weeks,” Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has confirmed. This marks a major move in the controversial plan to remove illegal migrants from the UK.
Home Office Ready but Airline Secrets Stay Under Wraps
The Home Office says it’s ready to roll, but details on which airline will fly migrants to Kigali remain a closely guarded secret. The government even reportedly offered Rwanda’s state-owned airline to help, but it declined over concerns about being linked to the scheme.
When asked about the airline, Atkins said: “The Home Office is working on this, and so believe you me, the Home Office is ready to go.”
PM Sunak Backs Spring Launch but Official Date Still Unclear
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has backed the plan to start removal flights by spring but has stopped short of naming an exact launch date. Tory deputy chair Rachel Maclean insists ministers will secure a carrier and says the policy is a vital deterrent against illegal migration.
Legal Challenges Loom as Rwanda Bill Returns to Parliament
The Rwanda Bill—aimed at overcoming Supreme Court barriers to the flights—is due back in Parliament this week. Ministers hope to pass it quickly, but charities supporting asylum seekers have vowed to fight the scheme in court.
A Home Office spokesperson said once the Safety of Rwanda Bill and Treaty are ratified, deportation flights will “proceed promptly,” highlighting the government’s determination to tackle immigration head-on.
