The United Kingdom will not be required to pay the Rwandan government over £100 million following the collapse of a controversial migrant deportation scheme, an international court has ruled. Rwanda had initiated legal proceedings against the current UK government, alleging a breach of agreement after the Labour administration, upon entering office, immediately scrapped the policy.
The original agreement, conceived under former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative government, aimed to deport asylum seekers arriving in the UK via irregular routes to Rwanda for processing and resettlement. The scheme faced significant legal and political opposition from its inception, with critics raising concerns about human rights, cost-effectiveness, and ethical implications.
Upon forming a government, the Labour Party had made it clear that ending the Rwanda scheme was a key priority. Their decision to terminate the agreement on their first day in power triggered the legal action from the East African nation, which sought compensation for what it claimed were contractual obligations not fulfilled by the UK.
While the exact details of the court's reasoning have not yet been fully released, the ruling represents a significant financial relief for the UK Treasury. Had the court found in Rwanda's favour, it would have added a substantial, unbudgeted expenditure to public finances, potentially impacting other government spending priorities.
This outcome will likely be welcomed by the current Labour government, as it avoids a costly payout for a policy they strongly opposed and swiftly dismantled. It also draws a line under one of the most contentious immigration policies of the previous Conservative government, which never saw a single asylum seeker deported to Rwanda despite significant investment and political capital.