Rwanda President warns Sunak the Rwanda asylum plan cannot ‘drag on’

Rwanda’s President has warned Rishi Sunak that there “are limits” on how long his asylum plan can go on for and he would be happy for the plans to be axed.

Speaking to the Guardian on Wednesday in Davos at the World Economic Forum, Paul Kagame said that British Prime Minister’s asylum plan is “the UK’s problem, not ours.”

Kagame said that the proposed asylum plan cannot “drag on” and these comments will likely cause alarm for the British government.

The Rwanda President is clearly frustrated over Sunak’s Rwanda Bill as it has dragged on for some time, Kagame said, “There are limits for how long this can drag on.”

The Guardian asked the Rwanda President if Sunak’s deal is working, Kagame said, “Ask the UK. It is the UK’s problem, not Rwanda’s problem.”

Kagame was then asked about the millions of pounds sent to Rwanda as part of the deal,  he said, “The money is going to be used on those people who will come.

“If they don’t come we can return the money.”

The British government has already paid around £240 million to Rwanda as part the asylum deal and a further payment of £50 million is due in the next 12 months.

Tory rebel rightwingers have jumped on the band wagon of Kagame’s words he is happy for the scheme to be scrapped, they are calling for the Rwanda Bill to be scrapped.

A Tory source said, “As [illegal migration minister] Michael Tomlinson explained this morning, the government’s plan is going to need hundreds of judges to clear thousands of claims which will take months and months at a bare minimum.

“Rwanda want a plan that works quickly, not one that satisfies the whims of our attorney general.

“The government should therefore back our plan. At this rate it will be Labour having to pay back the money.”

Sunak has faced further humiliation on Wednesday as during a tense Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) he was accused of not having “a clue” where more than 4,000 missing migrants have gone.

Sunak refused to be drawn into answering the question over reports the Home Office has lost contact with around 4,250 migrants.

The 4,250 migrants are to be removed from the UK and to be sent to Rwanda, a very frustrated Labour leader told MPs in the House of Commons that Sunak has “dodged” three attempts to answer the question.

Sir Keir said in his opening question, “The Government has been forced to admit that it has lost contact with 85% of the 5,000 people earmarked for removal to Rwanda. Has he found them yet?”

Sunak failed to answer Sir Keir’s question, but he told MPs that the government are dealing with the issues over migration and the Rwanda Bill.