London (Parliament News) – Rishi Sunak meets Rwandan President Kagame amidst controversy over migrant housing sale in Kigali. The dispute raises questions about UK asylum policy effectiveness.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has welcomed Rwandan President Paul Kagame in Downing Street amid news that properties in Kigali reserved for the UK’s stalled deportation plan have instead been sold to local buyers.
According to The Standard, the meeting between the two heads on Tuesday was surpassed by former home secretary Suella Braverman’s objection to “fallen expectations” over the 163 affordable houses on the Bwiza Riverside Estate in Kigali.
Journalists questioned Mr Kagame as he joined Number 10 whether the housing is being sold off but he did not answer. Some 70% of the possessions have now been purchased, meaning there is only room for a few dozen asylum seekers.
How Did Former Minister Suella Braverman React?
Ms Braverman, who has increasingly been a thorn in the Prime Minister’s flank since she was removed from her Cabinet role last year, expressed she is disappointed at the state of the Government’s asylum procedure. She previously represented the homes built as part of a 257-unit project as “beautiful” and complimented the interior design.
Who Bought Affordable Houses in Kigali?
The costs of the properties, supported as part of a public-private partnership between the Kigali government and ADHI Corporate Group, go between £14,000 and £27,000. A manager at the estate stated the homes have been marketed to “private people who want to live in them”.
Speaking to LBC, Ms Braverman stated: “I’m disappointed to read that expectations have fallen and that the Rwandans are now selling off some of those properties.” She counted: “The only way we generate a deterrent effect to stop people getting on the boats and coming to the UK illegally is regular flights, with hundreds of passengers on those flights being sent to Rwanda regularly. “I’m afraid the plan, as it stands today, won’t deliver that.”
Labour requested “urgent clarity” on the Rwanda scheme “farce” following the Times report, calling on the Prime Minister to handle it directly while the Commons is away on Easter recess. Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock stated: “Now it seems there will be even less capacity to house those that are removed. The Tories’ so-called plan is unravelling by the day and taxpayers are footing the bill. It’s time for change.”
Are UK Asylum Policy Expectations Falling Short?
According to the latest Home Office stats, 82 migrants were caught crossing the English Channel in small boats on Monday, taking the count so far this year to 5,517. A Home Office spokesman stated: “As the government of Rwanda have made frequently clear, they stand prepared to host thousands of migrants under the collaboration.
“The project is uncapped and provisions are in a position to provide accommodation as needed. We remain concentrated on getting flights off the ground as soon as possible.” The Rwandan government has denied the amount of properties that have been marketed privately and demanded the scheme be one of several estates for migrants.