Charles, Prince of Wales, has privately criticised the UK government’s policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing, calling the practice “appalling”, both The Times and the Daily Mail reported.
The eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and heir apparent to the British throne, has been heard denouncing the migrant offshoring plan behind closed doors, a source was cited as saying.
“[Charles] said he was more than disappointed at the policy. He said he thinks the Government’s whole approach is appalling. It was clear he was not impressed with the Government’s direction of travel,” the source said.
The Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting is set to take place between 20 and 25 June 2022 in Kigali, Rwanda and Prince Charles is due to represent his 96-year old mother - who is head of the Commonwealth - at the gathering.
“We would not comment on supposed anonymous private conversations with the Prince of Wales, except to restate that he remains politically neutral. Matters of policy are decisions for Government,” a spokesman for Clarence House, the prince's official residence, said.
Controversial Rwanda Deal
The idea to issue asylum seekers with a one-way ticket to Rwanda was conceived by the Government of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a way to tackle the soaring numbers of migrants. The illegals either venture across the Channel in small boats from northern France or arrive as stowaways on lorries.
The policy was introduced in April by UK Home Secretary Priti Patel as an opportunity to defeat "people smugglers". So far this year, 10,020 migrants have crossed the Channel to the UK, analysis of Government figures by the PA news agency shows.
The scheme initially focused on single men who would be sent to the East African country so that they could be processed there. If their asylum bid were successful, they would be offered long-term accommodation in Rwanda.
When Johnson confirmed the plans in April, he vowed that asylum-seekers resorting to illegal routes would be "swiftly and humanely removed to a third country or their country of origin".
However, the opposition Labour party and refugee charities took issue with what they described as an "absolutely chilling" plan that was also a waste of British taxpayers’ money. Furthermore, questions have been raised over Rwanda's human rights record.
The first charter flight to send around 30 migrants to the central African country could leave on 14 June. But it has faced a number of legal hurdles.
The report describing Prince Charles’ view on the issue comes as at least one such legal challenge against the policy was rejected by the High Court.
British Judge Sir Jonathan Swift on Friday rejected a bid from a group of asylum-seekers, backed by a UK border staff trade union and refugee groups, to ground the flight set for Tuesday. He did, however, grant the migrants permission to a last-minute appeal which will be heard on Monday.
A full legal challenge to the UK Government’s Rwanda deportation policy is to be held before the end of July.
French police officers patrol on the beach in the searcher migrants in Wimereux, northern France, Wednesday, Nov.17, 2021. Several migrants died and others were injured Wednesday Nov.24, 2021 when their boat capsized off Calais in the English Channel as they tried to cross from France to Britain, authorities said. British and French authorities were searching the area using helicopters and coast guard vessels, according to the French maritime agency for the region.
© AP Photo / Louis Witter
Laura Dubinsky, a lawyer representing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), was cited by media outlets as saying that migrants sent to Rwanda under the deportation programme were at risk of “serious, irreparable harm”.
She added that the agency had “serious concerns about Rwandan capacity” to handle arrivals. Indeed, the country is one of the most densely populated in Africa and already home to thousands of refugees.
Johnson and Patel, who welcomed the High Court ruling, said the Government would “not be deterred” by further legal challenges.
Fending off an avalanche of criticism, a Government spokesman was cited as saying:
“Our world-leading partnership with Rwanda will see those making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys to the UK relocated there to have their claims considered and rebuild their lives. We are confident the agreement is fully compliant with all national and international law.”