Foreign Secretary Liz Truss gave an exclusive interview with GB News Presenters Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster this morning, emphasising how the Rwanda deportation flight "is going to leave today".
Isabel probed the Foreign Secretary on the scheduled Rwanda flight, which is set to depart the UK today, questioning whether the British government will win their judicial review in July, asking: "Do you think you might have won the battle, but won't necessarily win the war on this?"
GB News Presenter Isabel Webster probed the Foreign Secretary on the governments plans to tackle migration
GB NEWS
Demonstrators at a removal centre at Gatwick protest against plans to send migrants to Rwanda
Victoria Jones
Ms Truss replied stating how the Home Secretary remains "determined" in her plans, adding how its the "right thing to do", emphasising the "immoral" nature of the people traffickers who are responsible for the transportation of migrants across the Chanel.
She emphasised: "It's very important we act. The flight is going to leave today and if people aren't on this flight then they will be on subsequent flights."
When questioned on the number of migrants which will be deported to Rwanda on the flight departing today, the Foreign Secretary remained indignant that the numbers were kept confidential.
The first flight taking asylum seekers to Rwanda is set to leave the UK after a last-ditch legal bid to halt the controversial deportation policy failed.
The archbishops of Canterbury and York joined opposition parties in condemning the plan, describing it as “immoral” and saying that it “shames Britain”.
A Government spokesman however insisted the policy was compliant with Britain’s national and international obligations and was necessary to combat the activities of the human trafficking gangs.
Ministers argue that only firm action will deter migrants from continuing to attempt the dangerous Channel crossing to try and reach the UK.
On Monday three Court of Appeal judges upheld a High Court ruling last week that the removals could go ahead, rejecting an appeal by two refugee charities and the Public and Commercial Services union (PCS).
It remained unclear how many asylum seekers would be on the aircraft with individual appeals against deportation which are expected to continue on Tuesday morning.
While 11 migrants are expected to be removed, one of the charities that brought the appeal said just seven still had live tickets.
Care4Calais said that altogether, there are 24 individuals the Government wants to remove whose tickets have been cancelled.
Three further challenges brought by individuals who face removal on the first flight are expected to be heard at the High Court on Tuesday.