Britain is to take refugees from Rwanda into the UK as part of the Government’s new immigration deal.
The deal, which was confirmed last week, means migrants arriving into the UK could be sent to the African country for processing.
But now details have emerged that the UK will also in fact welcome some migrants from Rwanda into the UK in return.
Small print in the agreement between the two countries says: “The participants will make arrangements for the United Kingdom to resettle a portion of Rwanda’s most vulnerable refugees in the United Kingdom, recognising both participants’ commitment towards providing better international protection for refugees.”
While the agreement doesn’t specify a limit of incoming migrants, a Home Office source told the Daily Mail it would only apply to “a number in the tens, not hundreds.”
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent
Gareth Fuller
Home Secretary Priti Patel has been forced to hit back at the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who has criticised the immigration scheme.
Mr Welby deemed the plans ungodly, while his counterpart in York, Stephen Cottrell also used his Easter sermon to deride the idea as “so depressing and distressing”.
Mr Welby said there are “serious ethical questions about sending asylum seekers overseas”.
He said: “The details are for politics. The principle must stand the judgment of God, and it cannot.
“It cannot carry the weight of resurrection justice, of life conquering death. It cannot carry the weight of the resurrection that was first to the least valued, for it privileges the rich and strong.”
Writing a joint article in The Times with Rwandan foreign minister Vincent Biruta, the Ms Patel reiterated that her controversial plans were “bold and innovative”.
The statement continued: “We are taking bold and innovative steps and it’s surprising that those institutions that criticise the plans fail to offer their own solutions.”
Earlier, Cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg had suggested that the Archbishop of Canterbury had misunderstood the aims of the policy.
Home Secretary Priti Patel has backed the scheme
Aaron Chown