There aren’t any planes to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda. In the latest blow to the government’s harebrained scheme, it has emerged airlines are unwilling to let their planes be used to transport migrants to the controversial east African nation. But that doesn’t change the expected £290million the plan will cost British taxpayers.
On top of an initial £140m given in 2022, the Home Office this month admitted an extra £100m has been paid this year. A further £50m is “anticipated” next year, bringing the total to £290m.
The plan, where asylum seekers would be sent to Rwanda to have their claims processed and then granted asylum in Rwanda, was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court. It’s supposed to act as a deterrent, said the government, as it narrowly rammed through its Safety of Rwanda Bill, defying the highest court in the land to legislate that Rwanda is safe. “It’s like something out of a dystopian novel,” said Labour MP Nadia Whittome, “creating a legal fiction to enable cruelty towards refugees.”
Anyway, what else could we have got for £290m?
814 trips into space
As things stand, the Rwanda plan isn’t sending anyone anywhere. Why not have a bit of fun with the ultimate sightseeing, based on the £356,000 cost of a 90-minute trip from Virgin Galactic.
41 shiny new libraries
Libraries are a lifeline for communities, and generate billions in hidden value. But they’re closing at an alarming rate. We could build 41 new libraries in the model of Paisley’s new £7m ‘learning and cultural hub’, unlocking reading and beyond for millions.
