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French President Emmanuel Macron has slammed Rishi Sunak’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as “cynical” politics and a betrayal of European values.
The French leader also said the plan, aimed at giving thousands of people one-way tickets to the African country, cleared the final hurdle in parliament, calling it “ineffective”. I warned you.
The Prime Minister has promised to have the planes flying within weeks, claiming it will have a deterrent effect and stop people trying to reach Britain in small boats.
But Sunak was urged by the United Nations and others to reconsider his plans earlier this week after five people died trying to cross the Channel off the coast of northern France.
Britain is paying France millions of pounds to support security on French beaches to deter migrants from making the dangerous journey.
In a wide-ranging speech on the future of the European Union at the Sorbonne University in Paris, Mr Macron said he “doesn’t believe” in a model that involves finding third countries to send us to on the African continent and elsewhere. Ta. These are people who are not from these countries and have come to our soil illegally. ”
“We are creating a cynical geopolitics that betrays our values and creates new dependencies that will prove completely ineffective,” he added.
Asked about the comments, Home Secretary James Cleverley said: “Migration is by definition international. And the solution will necessarily be international.”
Cleverley insisted he was not talking about Macron’s remarks and went on to attack “disgusting” and “lazy criticism” of Rwanda’s role in the partnership.
Mr Cleverley did not deny calling the deportation policy “rubbish”, but said: “This region is not as endowed with natural mineral resources as some of its neighboring countries. Thinking creatively about what can be part of the solution to a problem.
“And we are entering into a partnership with this country. And part of that partnership is the transfer of money.”
Mr Cleverley said those who argue that the UK should not have “mature commercial relationships” with African countries are, in effect, arguing that the UK should look at African countries “solely from the perspective of an aid recipient”. He said there was.
“What message does that send to developing countries?” he asked.
After weeks of parliamentary deadlock, the Rwanda bill was finally passed, sparking an international controversy.
Mr Sunak vowed on Monday that flights would begin operating within 10 to 12 weeks, but the government is bracing for a series of legal challenges to the policy.
The prime minister has promised “multiple flights a month” to Rwanda, but ministers have admitted that initially only a small number of people will be sent to Kigali.
Chartered planes will be used and ministers insist airfields are reserved. However, the government has refused to give details about when and where the flights will depart amid concerns that airlines could be pressured to withdraw from the controversial plan. .
The prime minister’s Rwanda bill came under fire from opponents for designating Rwanda as a safe country in response to a damning Supreme Court ruling late last year that Rwanda was not a safe place to send refugees.
In his speech, the French president praised the military cooperation between the two countries. “Britain is a deep natural ally[of France]and the treaties that unite us… lay a solid foundation.
“We have to follow up and strengthen them, because Brexit has not affected this relationship.”
He added that France should seek similar “partnerships” with other EU member states.
