Markus Andrews

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailRwanda’s state-owned airline has turned down a proposal to transport asylum seekers to Kigali as part of Rishi Sunak’s controversial flagship scheme to cut immigration.RwandAir, which is owned by the Rwandan government, was approached last year about being part of Mr Sunak’s plan but turned down the opportunity due to fears about reputational harm.A Home Office insider told the Financial Times: “RwandAir said ‘No’ because of the potential damage to their brand.”Mr Sunak has made stopping small boats crossing the Channel one of his core promises to voters but it has been mired in legal difficulties, leading to severe delays in implementing the policy.The Supreme Court ruled against it last year and nobody has yet been sent to Rwanda. Mr Sunak hosted Rwandan president Paul Kagame in Downing Street on Tuesday. A spokesman said: “Both leaders looked forward to flights departing to Rwanda in the spring.”Last week, Mr Sunak said he would be willing to defy orders from the European Court of Human Rights if necessary to implement his Rwanda plan.The meeting took place as Freedom from Torture launched a campaign to pressure carrier AirTanker – which the charity says is in talks to be part of the scheme – to rule themselves out of Mr Sunak’s plan.AirTanker operates the UK’s fleet of aerial refuelling craft, which are also used as passenger aeroplanes. In a post on its website, the charity said: “Right now, it’s being reported that the airline AirTanker are in talks with the government to fly refugees to Rwanda as part of their cruel cash for humans scheme.“This government’s Rwanda scheme flies in the face of international law, the UK Supreme Court and common human decency. It’s cruel, and it’s wrong. We see the terror it’s inflicting on survivors of torture every day in our therapy rooms.“In 2022, AirTanker ruled themselves out of being part of this scheme. It’s time for them to do the right thing again.”The revelation comes just days after reports that properties earmarked for migrants deported from the UK have instead been sold to local buyers in Rwanda.Of the 163 affordable homes on the Bwiza Riverside estate, 70 per cent have been sold, meaning there is only space for a few dozen migrants, the Times reported.The prices of the properties funded as part of a public-private partnership between the Kigali government and ADHI Corporate Group range between £14,000 and £27,000.A manager at the estate said the homes had been sold to “private people who want to live in them”.Labour demanded “urgent clarity” on the Rwanda scheme “farce” following the Times report, calling on the Prime Minister to address it directly while the Commons is away on Easter recess.“Now it seems there will be even less capacity to house those that are removed. The Tories’ so-called plan is unravelling by the day and taxpayers are footing the bill. It’s time for change,” shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said.According to the latest Home Office figures, 82 migrants were detected crossing the English Channel in small boats on Monday, taking the total so far this year to 5,517.AirTanker has been contacted for comment. More

Rishi Sunak has defended the UK’s decision not to suspend arms sales to Israel.Mr Sunak has been under mounting pressure, including from within his own party, to immediately suspend the sale of arms amid a growing chorus of opposition to the number of civilians killed.The prime minister appeared on a live LBC caller phone in on Wednesday (10 April) and defended his decision, stating “none of our closest allies” have stopped existing export licences.Mr Sunak told presenter Nick Ferrari that Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu “needs to do more” to alleviate the suffering in Gaza. More

Rishi Sunak has offered an apology for wearing Adidas Samba trainers after being accused of “destroying a fashion icon”.The prime minister was shown wearing the white shoes during a recent interview in Downing Street.His fashion choice was slammed by British GQ magazine, who wrote that “in a bid to present himself as young and hip, Rishi Sunak took an eternally cool sneaker and ruined it for everyone”.“I issue a fulsome apology to the Samba community,” the PM said, responding to the backlash on LBC on Wednesday morning (10 April).“But, in my defence, I would say I have been wearing Adidas trainers including Sambas – and others, in fact – for many, many years.” More

Rishi Sunak has defended his response to William Wragg’s admission that he shared colleagues’ personal numbers with a suspected scammer.During an appearance on LBC on Wednesday morning (10 April), the prime minister was asked by a caller if he had shown “a complete lack and failure of leadership” over the Westminster honeytrap scandal.“That particular incident is being looked at by two different police forces at the moment,” Mr Sunak said.He then claimed “there are wider things happening” and “lots of bad actors around the world who are trying to cause damage to our democratic processes.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailRishi Sunak has backed Joe Biden’s calls for a 6-8 week ceasefire in Gaza to allow food and medicine to go into the country, following a significant intervention from the US president overnight where he called Israel’s approach to the conflict “a mistake”.The prime minister said Mr Biden and he were “very aligned on this” and that he had consistently called for an “immediate humanitarian pause so that we can get the hostages out.”Mr Sunak added: “We want to get aid in to help alleviate the suffering and then use that as a platform to build a sustainable ceasefire.”His comments come on the back of building domestic and international pressure on Israel to bring an end to the conflict in Gaza mounts following the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Palestine that has seen the death of over 30,000 people and the killing of seven aid workers – including three British citizens – by Israeli airstrikes.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (Jordan Pettitt/PA) More

Rishi Sunak made an embarrassing gaffe during a live LBC phone-in on Wednesday morning (10 April), mixing up a caller’s name with a Welsh valley.The prime minister had to be corrected by host Nick Ferrari after referring to Louise from Rhondda as “Rhonda”.”Good morning Nick, good morning prime minister,” the caller said, after being introduced.”Hi, Rhonda,” Mr Sunak replied.After Mr Ferrari pointed out his awkward blunder, the PM offered a quick apology. “Sorry Louise, I missed that. Louise, hi.” More

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the worldSign up to our free Morning Headlines emailSenior MP William Wragg has resigned the Conservative whip after he admitted giving politicians’ phone numbers to a suspected scammer.The party’s whips office said he was “voluntarily relinquishing the Conservative whip” after he had already stepped back from his roles as vice-chair of the backbench 1922 Committee and chair of the commons public administration and constitutional affairs committee.The Hazel Grove MP had previously announced his intention to leave parliament at the next election and will now sit as an independent.Mr Wragg admitted last week that he had given colleagues’ phone numbers to someone on a dating app amid fears that intimate images of himself would be leaked after he was targeted in a parliamentary sexting scam.Scotland Yard has said it is investigating reports of the so-called “honey trap” scam after it was suggested that at least 12 men in political circles received unsolicited messages, raising security concerns.The investigation is not thought to involve the security services.The unknown scammer is said to have used the aliases “Charlie” and “Abi” while sending flirtatious messages to coax MPs into sending explicit pictures.Mr Wragg said he was sorry for his “weakness” in responding, an apology which was praised as “courageous and fulsome” by chancellor Jeremy Hunt.But pressure has mounted in recent days amid concerns over parliamentary security, with critics from across the political divide questioning Mr Wragg’s behaviour. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailAssaulting a shopworker is to be made a separate criminal offence after the Government U-turned in the face of a long-running campaign.Ministers had previously ruled out legislating to create a new offence, saying in response to a parliamentary petition in October they did not think it was “required or will be most effective”.on Wednesday Rishi Sunak announced that his Government would be amending its Criminal JusticeBill to bring in the new offence.He said: “I am sending a message to those criminals – whether they are serious organised criminal gangs, repeat offenders or opportunistic thieves – who think they can get away with stealing from these local businesses or abusing shopworkers, enough is enough.“Our local shops are the lifeblood of our communities, and they must be free to trade without the threat of crime or abuse.”The new offence will carry a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment or an unlimited fine, the same sentence for the existing offence of common assault.Repeat offenders could also be forced to wear an electronic tag, as could consistent shoplifters, under amendments to the Bill currently making its way through Parliament.The Government also plans to pilot community sentencing measures with an as-yet unnamed police force to tackle high levels of shoplifting, along with greater use of facial recognition technology to identify people wanted by the police in crowded areas.Judges already have the power to ban repeat offenders from certain shops under criminal behaviour orders, with breaches bringing a maximum sentence of five years.Retail crime has hit the Co-Op More