Rwanda migrants: Boris Johnson’s plan ‘immoral and impractical’, former Tory cabinet minister says

The government’s Rwanda plan is “humane” and will cost UK taxpayers “billions” during the cost of living “crisis”, a Labour MP has said.

Fleur Anderson, who represents Putney in London, also said the plan was a “blatant attempt by the PM to distract from Partygate”.

The “offshoring” arrangement with Rwanda, a country 4,300 miles away, will earn the African nation £120m under the initial deal, although its record on human rights has already been raised as a major cause for concern.

The first 4×4 bought as part of a fundraising effort for Ukraine backed by Jeremy Clarkson has been delivered ahead of its journey to the war-torn country next week.

Viktor Zaichenko, 48, originally from Ukraine, and his wife Lucy, 55, are the beekeepers at Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat farm in Oxfordshire.

The pair are raising money to send 4x4s to Ukraine, with the help of Clarkson and his partner Lisa Hogan.

They plan to send the off-road vehicles to help areas of Ukraine cut off from aid.

Speaking to the PA news agency, Mrs Zaichenko said: “We just want to get trucks out there which help people.

“It will rescue people, it will get them into hospitals, it will get them to safety.”

First minister Nicola Sturgeon has questioned Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross’ willingness to stand up to the prime minister after his support for sending some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Home secretary Priti Patel signed a deal with the African country on Thursday, claiming the asylum system is “collapsing under a combination of real humanitarian crises and evil people smugglers”.

Speaking to the PA news agency on Friday, Mr Ross said the policy would help to deter people traffickers.

But Nicola Sturgeon hit out at the Tory leader’s support, telling journalists: “Douglas Ross earlier this year for what seems like five minutes tried to pretend that he had an independence of thought from Boris Johnson and the UK government, but any illusions about that I think had been completely shattered by him.

“If he can’t even find it within himself to stand up and speak out against a policy as disgusting as this then I’m not sure what he will be able to stand up to Boris Johnson or the UK government on.”

These people have crossed continents and risked everything they own and cherish – including their own lives – to get to Britain, writes Sean O’Grady/

Read Sean’s full piece here:

This city will be the first constituency to vote since Partygate scandal, writes Colin Drury.

Read Colin’s full piece here

Our chief political commentator John Rentoul reads between the lines of the prime minister’s speech in Kent this morning:

As hilarious as it is to see actors mock our elected officials, it really isn’t so funny when you see these scenarios play out in real life, Emma Clarke writes.

Read Emma’s full piece here:

Christianity has long been used as a political weapon in global powerplay, writes Tim Farron MP.

Read Tim’s full piece below:

Sending migrants to Rwanda will save Britain money in the “longer term”, a minister has argued, despite critics describing the costs involved as “eye-watering”.

Mr Pursglove said: “There is this £120 million payment upfront to establish this partnership and, as we move forward, we will continue to make contributions to Rwanda as they process the cases, in a manner that is similar to the amount of money we are spending on this currently here in the United Kingdom.

“But longer term, by getting this under control, it should help us to save money.

“We are spending £5 million per day accommodating individuals who are crossing in hotels.

“That is not sustainable and is not acceptable and we have to get that under control.”