Starmer Scraps Rwanda Deportation Scheme

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced the termination of the Rwanda deportation scheme within a day of taking office, labeling it a 'gimmick' that failed to act as a deterrent. The plan, introduced under Boris Johnson and continued by Rishi Sunak, aimed to send illegal migrants to Rwanda but faced legal challenges and was deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court. Starmer criticized the scheme as an 'absolute waste of money,' promising to redirect funds to combat illegal gangs facilitating Channel crossings. The new Labour government under Home Secretary Yvette Cooper plans to establish a Border Security Command as a priority. Critics, including former PM Sunak, had argued that scrapping the scheme would lead to higher migration and undermine border security.