A cabinet minister has insisted the Home Office is preparing the next flight to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda — but declined to say whether it would take place within days or weeks after a major setback.
The comments from Therese Coffey came after the government’s inaugural £500,000 taxpayer-funded flight was halted just minutes before its scheduled departure on Tuesday evening, with a handful of migrants winning a legal reprieve.
Around four asylum seekers were due to board the aircraft, but last minute appeals were granted by an out-of-hours European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) judge, in a blow to the government.
Speaking on Sky News, the work and pensions secretary Ms Coffey said that ministers were “surprised and disappointed” by the late ruling a judge at the European Court of Human Rights (EHRC).
“I think the public will be surprised we have European judges overruling British judges,” she claimed. “But nevertheless I know the Home Office is already getting ready for next flight. We will continue to prepare.”
The work and pensions secretary insisted she was “highly confident” the next flight would go ahead, but declined to say when the Home Office would be scheduling a second charter plane for the divisive policy.
Quizzed on whether it would be days or weeks, Ms Coffey said she is “not going to get into operational discussions” while insisting the policy, which has been condemned by church leaders, remained “value for money”.
Therese Coffey insists policy remains ‘value for money’
But speaking on BBC Breakfast, the shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, described the government’s plan as “unworkable” and “unethical”.
With Tory MPs clamouring for the government to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights in the wake of Tuesday’s ruling, Ms Coffey said the Tories’ manifesto included no such policy, adding: “I’m not aware of any decisions or hints of leaving the ECHR”.
But speaking on Tuesday, Boris Johnson appeared to hint he may be ready to take the ECHR to ensure continued operation of the scheme.
Asked if the controversial move was on the table, he replied: “Will it be necessary to change some laws to help us as we go along? It may very well be and all these options are under constant review.”
