Britain’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful, Reuters reported.
The ruling dealt a huge blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s immigration policy and his key election promises. The vote is expected to take place as early as next year.
The court unanimously rejected the government’s appeal against an earlier ruling that migrants could not be sent to Rwanda. It cannot be considered a safe third country, the court stated.
The Prime Minister claimed the plan, originally proposed by Boris Johnson, would deter migrants from making the dangerous journey across the Channel from Europe, disrupting the business model of people traffickers.
The Rwanda scheme was essential for Sunak preparing for next year’s election, since some voters expressed concern on the number of asylum seekers arriving on small boats to UK shores.
