Sunak ‘not interested’ in asylum seeker return scheme with Ireland

Rishi Sunak is “not interested in pursuing a deal with Ireland on returning asylum seekers to the UK.

Downing Street has said the UK government has said it will not take back those who cross into Ireland until EU asylum rules change.

The UK prime minister told ITV News: “We’re not interested in that. We’re not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesn’t accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from.”

It comes after Ireland announced legislation to return a rising number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland.