The prime minister doubled down on his Rwanda deportation plan yesterday and appeared to reject any deal with the Irish government, which is alarmed over asylum seekers entering the republic from Northern Ireland.
The comments , three days before the Conservatives face voters in local elections, undercut an effort to de-escalate what has emerged as the biggest threat to British-Irish relations since Brexit.
Asked if the UK could agree a returns scheme with Ireland, Sunak told ITV: “We’re not. I’m not interested in that. We’re not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesn’t accept returns back to France, where illegal migrants are coming from. Of course we’re not going to do that. I’m determined to get our Rwanda scheme up and running because I want a deterrent.”
Asked if there were negotiations with the EU on returns, he said: “No. I’m focused squarely on getting our Rwanda scheme up and running.”
This story is from the April 30, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the April 30, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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