Rwanda deportation plan: First flight taking asylum seekers to African country can go ahead, says Court of Appeal

The Court of Appeal has ruled the first deportation flight taking asylum seekers to Rwanda can go ahead tomorrow.

Rights campaigners have argued that the government policy is inhumane and will put migrants at risk.

But officials have said the strategy will deter people from making dangerous Channel crossings from France in flimsy small boats run by smugglers.

The Home Office believes the removal plan is in the public interest and must not be stopped.

The latest legal challenge comes after the High Court ruled last week that the flight to Rwanda could go ahead.

The appeal court said it “cannot interfere” with the original decision.

Lord Justice Singh said “we consider that the judge produced a detailed and careful judgment which is all the more impressive in view of the time constraints under which he had to give it” in this “urgent and important case”.

The Public and Commercial Services union (PCS), which represents around 80% of Border Force staff, had brought Monday’s case, alongside charities Care4Calais and Detention Action.

A second case is currently being heard in the High Court after Asylum Aid, a refugee charity, applied for an urgent interim injunction to stop the government flying migrants to Rwanda.

Lawyers for the charity argued the procedure adopted by the government was unfair.