The President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, has issued a warning to Rishi Sunak as the debate over the Government’s plan to deport migrants rages on, suggesting that he would be happy for the scheme to be scrapped entirely.
He said there are limits to how long attempts to implement the deportation deal with Britain can “drag on”.
Asked about the current debate over the scheme, Kagame said: “Ask the UK. It’s the UK’s problem, not Rwanda’s problem”.
He told the Guardian: “I knew what the situation was 48 hours ago but don’t know what’s happened since then”.
Paul Kagame has issued a warning to Rishi Sunak as the debate over the Government’s plan to deport migrants rages on
PA
Issuing a warning to the UK Government, the Rwandan president added: “There are limits for how long this can drag on”.
He also suggested he would be happy to return the money sent by the UK to Rwanda for the scheme if it is scrapped.
Kagame said: “The money is going to be used on those people who will come. If they don’t come, we can return the money.”
This comes just hours before MPs are set to vote on the Government’s Rwanda Bill this evening.
There is massive division among Tory MPs over the scheme, with MPs on the right of the party demanding the Government go further to toughen up the legislation and prevent the courts from blocking flights to Rwanda.
Responding to Kagame’s remarks, a source close to the rebels on the right of the party said: “As Michael Tomlinson explained this morning, the Government’s plan is going to need hundreds of judges to clear thousands of claims which will take months and months at a bare minimum.
“Rwanda want a plan that works quickly, not one that satisfies the whims of our Attorney General.
“The government should therefore back our plan. At this rate it will be Labour having to pay back the money.”
There are understood to be around 15 Conservative MPs willing to vote against the legislation so far, but this number could increase as the day goes on.
A total of 60 rebel MPs voted for right wing amendments to toughen up the legislation yesterday, but were voted down.
If just half of those MPs decide to vote against the Government’s Bill, it could be defeated.
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, ex-Business Secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and co-chairman of the New Conservatives Miriam Cates all indicated they would vote against the Government.
