Rwanda safe place to deport migrants, Supreme Court told

RWANDA is "less attractive" than the UK but is still "safe" to deport asylum seekers to, the Government told the Supreme Court yesterday.

- Mark Reynolds

Lawyers acting for the Home Office opened the Government's challenge to a Court of Appeal ruling in June that the multi-million-pound deal to deport asylum seekers to the east African nation was unlawful.

Yesterday, Sir James Eadie KC, for the Home Office, told a panel of five justices both countries were committed to the plan with "very powerful" practical incentives for Rwanda to comply with assurances given.

He said the policy to remove people to "a country less attractive" than the UK, "but nevertheless safe", was lawful and explained that the Government attached "considerable importance" to its deportation policy.