Supreme Court set to decide on Rwanda policy after Home Office challenge
Home Office bringing a challenge after Court of Appeal ruled plans to deport asylum seekers were unlawful
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
The Government’s legal battle over its Rwanda deportation policy has reached the Supreme Court.
The Home Office is bringing a challenge after the Court of Appeal ruled in June that the multimillion-pound deal – which would see asylum seekers deported to the east African nation – was unlawful.
In a three-day hearing starting on Monday, five justices at the UK’s highest court will hear arguments over whether two appeal judges were right to find there was a “real risk” asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution when they may have a good asylum claim.
While Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill concluded there were “deficiencies” in the Rwandan asylum system and ruled the policy was unlawful, former lord chief justice Lord Burnett disagreed and said he would dismiss the challenge.
I am confident that our approach complies with our international obligations
As well as the Home Office’s bid to overturn the decision, several individual asylum seekers are set to challenge aspects of the ruling.
Immigration featured heavily at the recent Conservative Party conference, with prime minister Rishi Sunak saying he “will do whatever is necessary to stop the boats”.
He said on Wednesday: “We are by no means where we want to be but don’t let anyone tell you we aren’t making progress, we are and we will get there.
“Our new law will ensure that if you come here illegally, you will be detained and swiftly removed. Now I’m confident that once flights start going regularly to Rwanda, the boats will stop coming.”
He added: “I am confident that our approach complies with our international obligations. But know this: I will do whatever is necessary to stop the boats.”
The Supreme Court hearing in London, before Lords Reed, Hodge, Lloyd-Jones, Briggs and Sales, is due to begin at 10.30am.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.