Rishi Sunak said he will sign a new deal with Rwanda after his promise to “stop the boats” was plunged into fresh jeopardy by a Supreme Court ruling that his flagship asylum policy is unlawful.
The Prime Minister said he could change UK laws “if necessary” and may reconsider “international relationships” as he comes under pressure from Conservatives to quit the European Convention on Human Rights.
Five justices at the UK’s highest court on Wednesday unanimously rejected the Government’s appeal over its policy of removing asylum seekers to the east African nation if they arrive by unauthorised means.
This was not the outcome we wanted, but we have spent the last few months planning for all eventualities and we remain completely committed to stopping the boats
Mr Sunak vowed to do “whatever it takes” to end the Channel crossings, as he indicated the first step will be to “finalise” a new treaty with Rwanda which could alleviate the legal challenges.
“Furthermore, if necessary I am prepared to revisit our domestic legal frameworks,” he told Prime Minister’s Questions.
