Liz Truss says she will ‘support and expand’ government’s controversial Rwanda deportation policy ‘to more countries’ | Political news

Liz Truss said she would “support and expand” the government’s controversial deportation policy of Rwanda “to more countries”.

The widely criticized strategy, put forward by the current Conservative government, has been the subject of numerous court hearings and received backlash around the world.

Both Tory leadership hope Ms Truss and Rishi Sunak have previously pledged to continue the policy if they become the next prime minister.

But today, the Secretary of State has gone further and said she will not only maintain the policy but also expand it to other countries.

She told ITV when asked about the plan to tackle the growing number of people crossing the border.

“I will support and extend the Rwanda policy to more countries but I also guarantee under British law that we cannot be overrated by the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) so that we can protect it. your borders.”

The government has announced plans to bring migrants who came to the UK illegally to Rwanda just three months ago, said it would stop people from making the Channel cross.

So far, legal challenges have prevented any deportations to Rwanda from happening but Interior Minister Priti Patel has remained adamant about the policy.

The the first flight to the country was canceled after a last-minute order from the European Court of Human Rights.

Last month, the interior selection committee said “no clear evidence” the Rwanda plan would work, and committee chair Yvette Cooper described it as a waste of taxpayers’ money.

But several Iraqi smugglers spoke privately to Sky News in July saying that Britain’s controversial Rwanda policy could work.

Opposition parties and charities – supposedly even Prince Charles – declared the policy inhumane.

And last month, court documents revealed Mrs. Patel has been warned against pursuing this planThe UK’s High Commissioner to Rwanda said the country “has been accused of recruiting refugees to carry out armed operations in neighboring countries”.

Yesterday, the British Ministry of Defense confirmed that nearly 700 migrants crossed the English Channel to reach the UK in a single day on Monday – a record for the year so far.

Some 696 made the journey in 14 boats on Monday, with large groups of migrants – including young children – being brought ashore in Ramsgate.

The latest figures mean more than 17,000 people have now arrived in the UK by 2022 after navigating busy transport routes from France in small boats, such as dinghys.

The government confirmed over the weekend that the number of migrants crossing the Channel in July was highest of the year so far, with 3,683 making the journey on 90 boats.

Back in June, new legislation was introduced, increasing the maximum penalty for those entering the UK illegally to four years in prison, and prison life for train drivers.

Ms Truss and Mr Sunak will join another meeting of Conservative leaders this evening in Cardiff as the race to No 10 continues.

Voting will close on September 2, with the winner expected to be announced on September 5 and replace Mr Johnson the next day.

As the race for the leadership continues to heat up, Mr Sunak and Ms Truss will once again face the cameras this week on Sky News.

Taking place on Thursday August 4 at 8pm at Sky Studios in west London, the Fight for Number 10 will see the contenders take part in a live interrogation from the live studio audience. including Conservative Party members, who have yet to decide who. to vote for.

Next will be an in-depth interview with Kay Burley.

The program will be televised live for 90 minutes and free of charge on Sky News channel 501, Freeview 233, Sky Showcase channel 106 and on digital channels of Sky News.