Money wasted on Rwanda could have been used to help our homeless

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

The fact that Rwanda has now received the huge sum of £290m is a massive waste of taxpayer funds (PA)

I continue to be more and more appalled by the government’s so-called Rwanda plan.

Since its inception it has been nothing but tokenism in an attempt to keep the right wing of the party on side. It was obvious to any thinking person that the plan was never going to discourage desperate people from taking a dangerous Channel crossing in the hope of achieving some degree of safety in the UK.

The fact that Rwanda has now received the huge sum of £290m is a massive waste of taxpayer funds, and for a scheme that is unlikely to ever happen. Even if it does, it will only see a handful of unfortunate, distressed refugees going to a country with an abysmal human rights record.

In all likelihood, that £290m will be money down the drain. Think what better uses it could have been put to, such as helping the homeless, allowing desperate families to avoid choosing between heating and food, providing some extra funds to a desperate NHS, and even bailing out the local authorities who have been starved of central government funding during the Tory period of austerity.

David Felton

Crewe

I’m ashamed to be British

It seems every day I read something that makes me more and more ashamed to be a citizen of the UK.

From the insults heaped on our European neighbours, the reduction and repurposing of our foreign aid budget and our stirring up hatred of asylum seekers. Today we discover the USA have vetoed the UN resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. What is not so well reported is the UK’s cowardly stance of abstaining from the vote.

Sitting on the fence and trying to appease both sides can also alienate both sides. I am truly ashamed of our so-called leaders.

G Forward

Stirling

An early election may be in the Conservatives’ best interests

So, having already lost the very person who ultimately made him prime minister, not only does that same person, Suella Braverman, leave her own portfolio, but the very man Sunak sent to keep an eye on her goes too.

If this isn’t in-fighting at the very heart of government then I would dearly love to know what is.

The fact that Conservative MPs are openly talking about another leadership contest proves the discontent from within.

Yet instead of counting the time left before he has to legally call the general election, why doesn’t Rishi Sunak seek his own mandate now?

Surely he has seen the writing on the wall and the repeat of Labour’s 1997 landslide I’ve been predicting for some time now.

So much so that Labour themselves openly confirmed on Friday that only 211 out of 650 seats at the general election will not be targeted.

If things get any worse there won’t be a safe Tory seat in the whole country.

Geoffrey Brooking

Hampshire

A simple fix…

The answer to the immigration issue is simple: hold a referendum on whether to be in or out of the EU! There’s a useful new cabinet member who can advise on that.

Katharine Powell

Address supplied