Rabu, 15 Juni 2022

Passengers told not to travel by train during rail strikes - BBC

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Passengers have been advised not to travel on trains unless necessary during strikes next week, with only a fifth of services due to run.

Network Rail said about half of all rail lines will be closed when thousands of workers walk out across Britain on 21, 23 and 25 June.

The services that run will start and finish earlier, from 07:30 to 18:30.

There will be no trains at all in many places including north from Glasgow or Edinburgh and to Penzance in Cornwall.

Network Rail, which owns and maintains the country's railways, said there would also be no passenger services to locations including Bournemouth in Dorset, Swansea in south Wales, Holyhead in north Wales, Chester in Cheshire and Blackpool in Lancashire.

Open lines include the West Coast Main Line from London to Scotland via locations such as Birmingham and Manchester.

However, with trains running for shorter hours on strike days, final departures will be much earlier than usual. For example, the last train from Manchester to London will leave at 14:47 and the last from Norwich to London at 16:00, with the last train from London to Edinburgh at 15:00.

Rural and district lines will be most affected by the action.

The timetable from 20 June to 26 June is still being finalised, but the number of services is expected to be around 4,500 compared with 20,000 normally, Network Rail said.

Disruption is also expected to carry over into non-strike days during the week, when only about 60% of services are expected to run.

This is due to not enough staff being on shift overnight to get services ready for the following day.

Network Rail workers
Getty Images

Several train operators including Southeastern, TransPennine and Avanti West Coast have urged passengers to only travel by rail if necessary, while Northern has asked people "not to travel" on trains between Tuesday and Sunday.

Several large events could be affected by the strikes, ranging from Glastonbury Festival, which runs from 22 to 26 June, to a cricket Test match between England and New Zealand taking place from 23 to 27 June.

Pensioner Linda is supposed to be travelling by train from Great Yarmouth to London for a Rolling Stones concert on 25 June.

She paid £100 per ticket but she is now unsure if there is any way for her to get there now.

"If I was to book a coach, it would cost a lot more - plus increase the travel time; two-and-a-half hours on the train becomes five to six hours on a coach," she told the BBC. "And there's no way we'd get to the concert in time."

Elsewhere, Meghan, a 15-year-old pupil at Bradford Grammar School, doesn't know how she will get to school.

"Both my parents work. My mum is a doctor so she's got to be in [work] really early," she said. "I think we'll just have to organise lifts with someone."

"It's just stressful. With traffic and everyone getting a lift in, it's going to be a nightmare," she added.

School pupil

The school's bursar Homera Najib said about 300 pupils travel in by train from across Yorkshire and Leeds using the nearby Frizinghall station.

She has contacted parents who have to make their own alternative arrangements to get their children to school, she said.

"We know this is going to be a real inconvenience for our pupils, especially at a time when we've got public examinations going on," she said.

"These are the first public examinations in two years so something like this that really throws a spanner in the works doesn't help the levels of stress."

More than 40,000 RMT union members from Network Rail and 13 train firms plan to walk out. The industrial action, which has been described as the "biggest rail strike in modern history", involves union members which include railway staff such as guards and signalling operators.

RMT announced the strike action last week after talks over pay and redundancies fell through.

On the first day of the planned strike on 21 June, London Underground RMT workers plan to walk out in a separate dispute over pensions and job losses.

Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said talks with the union had "not progressed as far as I had hoped" and so preparations had begun for a strike.

"Make no mistake, the level of service we will be able to offer will be significantly compromised and passengers need to take that into account and to plan ahead and only travel if it's really necessary to do so," he said.

The strikes may be less disruptive for commuters, with more people now able to work from home since the pandemic.

But the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators, said "millions of people", including those who cannot work remotely, students sitting exams and others travelling for summer events, would still be affected.

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Analysis box by Katy Austin, Transport correspondent

The mood music right now is that not enough progress has been made in negotiations to stop next week's walkouts.

Assuming they go ahead, there will be disruption across the whole week.

The involvement of Network Rail signalling staff means the number of trains that can run is particularly limited.

On strike days, the signallers' replacements can only cover 12 hours, hence services will start late and finish early - where they run at all.

Busy, key routes have been prioritised, meaning vast swathes of the country will be left with no services at all.

Network Rail says next week's action will cost up to £150m in lost revenue and aborted work.

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The RMT union has claimed Network Rail plans to cut up to 2,500 jobs as part of a £2bn reduction in spending, with the proposed job cuts including workers who maintain tracks, signals and overhead lines.

It also said train operators had been subject to pay freezes and changes to their terms and conditions.

The RMT has called for a meeting with the transport secretary and chancellor, saying it had become clear that the Treasury was "calling the shots and not allowing rail employers to reach a negotiated settlement".

But a deal is "unlikely at the moment", said RMT's Eddie Dempsey, who accused the government of "relishing the thought of having a dispute to distract from some other issues".

A Department for Transport spokesperson said unions had "gone on the record saying they don't negotiate with this government", adding: "They're right: they must negotiate with the employers."

The rail industry is under pressure to save money due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic and Network Rail has said it wants to modernise working practices.

It estimated between 1,500 and 2,000 fewer staff would be needed, but insists this could be achieved through voluntary means.

As part of a separate strike, Aslef, a union representing train drivers, has announced walkouts at three companies in rows over pay on 26 June at Hull Trains, at Greater Anglia on 23 June, and on Croydon Tramlink on 28, 29 June and 13 and 14 July.

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Will your travel plans be affected by the strike days? Please get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

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2022-06-15 15:56:19Z
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Passengers told not to travel by train during rail strikes - BBC

CommutersGetty Images

Passengers have been advised not to travel on trains unless necessary during strikes next week, with only a fifth of services due to run.

Network Rail said about half of all rail lines will be closed when thousands of workers walk out across the UK on 21, 23 and 25 June.

The services that run will start and finish earlier, from 07:30 to 18:30.

There will be no trains at all in many places including north from Glasgow or Edinburgh and to Penzance in Cornwall.

Network Rail, which owns and maintains the country's railways, said there would also be no passenger services to locations including Bournemouth in Dorset, Swansea in south Wales, Holyhead in north Wales, Chester in Cheshire and Blackpool in Lancashire.

Open lines include the West Coast Main Line from London to Scotland via locations such as Birmingham and Manchester.

However, with trains running for shorter hours on strike days, final departures will be much earlier than usual. For example, the last train from Manchester to London will leave at 14:47 and the last from Norwich to London at 16:00, with the last train from London to Edinburgh at 15:00.

Rural and district lines will most affected by the action.

The timetable from 20 June to 26 June is still being finalised, but the number of services is expected to be around 4,500 compared with 20,000 normally, Network Rail said.

Disruption is also expected to carry over into non-strike days during the week, when only about 60% of services are expected to run.

This is due to not enough staff being on shift overnight to get services ready for the following day.

Several train operators including Southeastern, TransPennine and Avanti West Coast have urged passengers to only travel by rail if necessary, while Northern has asked people "not to travel" on trains between Tuesday and Sunday.

Network Rail workers
Getty Images

Several large events could be affected by the strikes, ranging from Glastonbury Festival, which runs from 22 to 26 June, to a cricket Test match between England and New Zealand taking place from 23 to 27 June.

More than 40,000 RMT union members from Network Rail and 13 train firms plan to walk out. The industrial action, which has been described as the "biggest rail strike in modern history", involves union members which include railway staff such as guards and signalling operators.

RMT announced the strike action last week after talks over pay and redundancies fell through.

On the first day of the planned strike on 21 June, London Underground RMT workers plan to walk out in a separate dispute over pensions and job losses.

Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said talks with the union had "not progressed as far as I had hoped" and so preparations had begun for a strike.

He called the action "needless" and said it would have a "damaging impact".

"Make no mistake, the level of service we will be able to offer will be significantly compromised and passengers need to take that into account and to plan ahead and only travel if it's really necessary to do so," he said.

2px presentational grey line
Analysis box by Katy Austin, Transport correspondent

The mood music right now is that not enough progress has been made in negotiations to stop next week's walkouts.

Assuming they go ahead, there will be disruption across the whole week.

The involvement of Network Rail signalling staff means the number of trains that can run is particularly limited.

On strike days, the signallers' replacements can only cover 12 hours, hence services will start late and finish early - where they run at all.

Busy, key routes have been prioritised, meaning vast swathes of the country will be left with no services at all.

Network rail says next week's action will cost up to £150m in lost revenue and aborted work.

2px presentational grey line

The RMT union has claimed Network Rail plans to cut up to 2,500 jobs as part of a £2bn reduction in spending, with the proposed job cuts including workers who maintain tracks, signals and overhead lines.

It also said train operators had been subject to pay freezes and changes to their terms and conditions.

On Tuesday, RMT called for a meeting with the transport secretary and chancellor, saying it had become clear that the Treasury was "calling the shots and not allowing rail employers to reach a negotiated settlement".

The rail industry is under pressure to save money due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic and Network Rail has said it wants to modernise working practices, and use more technology to do some maintenance jobs.

It estimated between 1,500 and 2,000 fewer staff would be needed, but insists this could be achieved through voluntary severance. It also says safety would be improved because fewer people would need to be going out onto the tracks.

As part of a separate strike, ASLEF, Britain's trade union for train drivers, has announced walkouts at three companies in rows over pay.

Drivers will strike on 26 June at Hull Trains, at Greater Anglia on 23 June, and on Croydon Tramlink on 28, 29 June and 13 and 14 July.

Banner saying 'Get in touch'

Will your travel plans be affected by the strike days? Please get in touch by emailing: haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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2022-06-15 13:00:52Z
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Brussels hands UK two month court ultimatum after 'illegal' Northern Ireland protocol move - Sky News

The EU has given Britain a two-month deadline to respond to legal action as it responded to Boris Johnson's plan to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Maros Sefcovic, vice-president of the European Commission, said UK legislation to override parts of the protocol, which governs Northern Ireland's post-Brexit trading arrangements, was illegal.

The Commission confirmed that Brussels will resume legal proceedings against the UK, which it suspended in September, for breaching the EU withdrawal treaty agreed in 2020.

Politics Hub: Rwanda deportation policy 'a mess' says Labour

Mr Sefcovic said: "If the UK doesn't reply within two months we may take them to the court of justice."

Brussels is also launching two new legal infringement actions against the UK - but in addition offering what it called an "oven-ready" solution to the impasse.

Mr Sefcovic said: "Let there be no doubt: there is no legal nor political justification whatsoever for unilaterally changing an international agreement.

More from Politics

"This is illegal. The UK bill is extremely damaging to mutual trust and respect between the EU and the UK.

"It has created deep uncertainty and casts a shadow over our international cooperation."

The Northern Ireland Protocol was designed to avoid the return of a hard border with the Republic of Ireland as a result of Brexit.

But it has in effect created a border in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, meaning goods exported from Britain are subject to customs checks.

The UK government says that has created a headache for businesses and the power-sharing arrangements set up as a result of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

The unionist DUP has refused to rejoin the power-sharing executive until the problems are resolved.

Britain has claimed that attempts to renegotiate the deal with Europe have hit a dead end.

It has decided to push ahead with legislation to change the protocol, which was published earlier this week, despite warnings it would be illegal under international law and could provoke a trade war with Europe.

The government has proposed scrapping some checks on goods arriving in Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK and challenged the role of the European Court of Justice in overseeing the implementation of parts of the protocol.

Europe's legal ultimatum relates to action it originally launched a year ago over the UK's unilateral decision to extend so-called grace periods - holding off the full implementation of border checks required under the protocol.

That action had been suspended in the light of talks between London and Brussels.

The two new legal proceedings - which do not specifically relate to the protocol legislation set out in Westminster - accuse the UK of failing to ensure adequate staff and infrastructure to carry out checks in Northern Ireland and not providing the EU with sufficient trade data.

Mr Sefcovic also illustrated Europe's proposals for easing customs formalities by holding up, during a news conference, a three-page sample certificate that would accompany a lorry carrying multiple goods under the plans.

"Not 300, not 30, three. This is how simple it is and what we can do if we work well together," he said.

"What we are putting on the table is oven-ready."

A UK government spokesperson said: "It is disappointing that the EU has chosen to relaunch legal proceedings relating to the grace periods currently in place, which are vital to stop the problems caused by the protocol from getting worse.

"The UK's preference remains for a negotiated solution but the proposals set out by the EU today are the same proposals we have been discussing for months and would not solve the problems - in many cases they take us backwards from current arrangements."

Analysis by Adam Parsons, Europe Correspondent

Maros Sefcovic adopted the air of an annoyed parent as he appeared today - not loudly furious, but radiating a form of wounded disappointment blended with the threat of punishment.

He, like the rest of EU diplomats, knows that legal proceedings won't worry Boris Johnson - if anything, another clash with Brussels might be politically useful for the Prime Minister.

Instead, his aim is to slowly chip away at Britain's global reputation for observing international law, while also portraying the EU as the grown-ups - the people who are, he maintains, ready to proceed with a negotiated deal that, Mr Sefcovic insisted with tongue in cheek, really is "oven ready".

What we have now is strong rhetoric from both sides, with the EU blaming the UK for the deadlock, and vice-versa. Both say they are the ones cherishing the Good Friday Agreement; both accuse the other of intransigence, dogmatism and breaches of good faith. Mutual trust has evaporated.

What we don't seem to have is an obvious prospect of a negotiated breakthrough. I don't think today's legal action has made things worse; but it certainly hasn't made them better.

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2022-06-15 11:37:30Z
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Selasa, 14 Juni 2022

Grenfell Tower: William and Kate attend memorial service - BBC

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attend the Grenfell memorialReuters

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have joined bereaved families and survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire to mark its fifth anniversary.

Seventy two people were killed by the blaze in North Kensington, west London, on 14 June 2017.

The couple joined mourners at the base of the tower for a special service having earlier met several during a private meeting.

A 72-second silence was observed by attendees, concluding with applause.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Peter Nicholls
Two people attend the memorial service at the base of the tower
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During the service, actor Tim Downie said: "At today's service we honour the 72 innocent men, women and children, mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters, sisters, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and friends who needlessly lost their lives.

"We must never forget them and carry them with us forever in our hearts."

Many mourners wore green scarves and clothing to match the green hearts that adorn the wall below the tower and which have become a symbol of the tragedy.

Floral tributes and personal notes have been left beside the wall, including a "72" made of white flowers.

A memorial service for the 72 people killed in the fire is taking place at Westminster Abbey
PA Media

Earlier, a multi-faith memorial service was held at Westminster Abbey.

It began with the names of the victims being read out followed by a reply of "forever in our hearts" from the congregation.

Former prime minister Theresa May, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Housing Secretary Michael Gove were among those in the congregation.

White roses outside Westminster Abbey
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Theresa May and community volunteer Claire Walker
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Journalist Jon Snow, who was invited to speak at the service, said: "Grenfell, set in the richest borough in Britain, speaks to the grotesque inequality with which our society has been riven.

"We must now confront the issues raised by the Grenfell disaster."

Lawyer Imran Khan, who also addressed the congregation, said: "For the residents of Grenfell, their home wasn't their castle, it was their deathbed."

Grenfell service
PA Media
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At the scene

BBC News correspondent Nick Johnson

From scarves and flowers, to altar cloths and decorations, Westminster Abbey was adorned in green as hundreds gathered for this memorial service to remember those who lost their lives on this day five years ago.

At the very heart of the service was a sense of unity and remembrance. Members of the congregation held hands, comforting those who were weeping, as the names of each of the 72 victims were read out.

We heard from Marlene Anderson.

Her father Ray "Moses" Bernard lost his life in the fire. His daughter spoke of her trauma and how she and other family members often relive that night.

Perhaps the loudest round of applause came after lawyer Imran Khan's speech. He spoke of his disbelief over a lack of criminal charges and described the public inquiry into the fire as ineffective.

As the congregation filed out of the Abbey, 72 candles were left flickering on the altar, a reminder that the Grenfell victims will never be forgotten.

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Elsewhere in the capital, a 72-second silence was observed at 14:00 at the Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd's Bush.

At 18.30, survivors will join bereaved families and community groups for a silent walk from the base of the tower.

Firefighters from across the country will form a guard of honour during the walk.

Westfield shopping centre memorial
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Grenfell Tower after the fire
Getty Images

Natasha Elcock, chairwoman of campaign group Grenfell United, said this week would be difficult for all of those affected.

"For many of us the events five years ago are still so raw in our minds and our losses remain heavy in our hearts," she said.

Raheleh Afraseibi, who lost her mother Fatemeh and aunt Sakineh in the fire, said the "catastrophe is never-ending for us".

"We don't want them to just say 'Never forget', we want it cemented in some way," she added.

Members of the Grenfell Next of Kin group, which also represents those bereaved by the tragedy, said they did not want their loved ones' deaths to have been in vain.

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London fire commissioner Andy Roe said he had found the strength and dignity of the Grenfell community "humbling and inspiring".

He added: "I give my commitment that we will continue to listen and make changes to our service and work to drive improvements in the built environment to ensure such a tragedy can never happen again."

While a criminal investigation into the disaster is under way, the Met Police has said no prosecutions will be brought until the public inquiry is finished and its findings are published.

So far, fewer than half of the recommendations from the inquiry have been adopted into law, according to the Home Office.

Survivors and bereaved families and friends protesting against the criminal investigation
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Earlier this month, the government imposed a total ban on the specific type of cladding that allowed the blaze to spread so rapidly. Previously, the ban applied only to buildings higher than 11m (36ft).

The government first received data demonstrating the danger of polyethylene-cored cladding in 2002.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) said it was taking steps to ensure buildings were safer.

A spokesman said: "The Grenfell Tower tragedy must never be allowed to happen again and our thoughts are with the bereaved families, survivors and residents."

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2022-06-14 17:20:39Z
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Rwanda deportations: Plane ready on Ministry of Defence runway ahead of flight to Africa as legal challenges rejected - Sky News

Legal challenges by four asylum seekers set to be deported on a flight to Rwanda tonight have been rejected.

A Boeing 767-300 stands ready on a Ministry of Defence runway at Boscombe Down in Amesbury to take the first migrants to the east African country tonight.

A Kurdish man had his bid to prevent his removal to Rwanda rejected by the High Court this afternoon by Mr Justice Smith, who also refused him permission to appeal.

Challenges by three other asylum seekers were rejected earlier in the day.

Johnson hints UK could withdraw from European Convention on Human Rights - Politics news live

A fifth man lost a bid to bring an appeal at the Supreme Court after a panel of three justices refused him permission to challenge the Court of Appeal's ruling that the flight to Rwanda could go ahead.

This rejected an appeal by two refugee charities and the Public and Commercial Services union.

More on Rwanda

Giving brief reasons for the decision, the court's president, Lord Reed, said there had been an "assurance" that, if the government's policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda is found to be unlawful, steps would be taken to bring back any migrants flown to the east African nation in the interim.

Stop Deportations protesters have taken direct action to resist the first deportation flight, locking themselves together with metal pipes and blockading exits of Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre at Heathrow where the remaining people the Home Office intended to put on the flight to Rwanda are believed to be being held.

"This policy is the result of years of portraying migrants as less than human beings; it makes it possible for the Home Office to inflict pain on them and get away with it. We, the public refuse to accept the Home Office's cruel, inhumane and unlawful plans," a Stop Deportations activist said.

But Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has insisted the flight to Rwanda will take off no matter how few people are on board and said the scheme is both legal and "value for money"

The plan to send individuals to Rwanda has been contested in the courts and condemned by the Church of England's senior bishops as "an immoral policy".

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson has maintained that the policy's aim is "to support safe and legal routes for people to come to the UK and to oppose the illegal and dangerous routes".

Sky footage of  airplane taking migrants tor Rwanda

PM pledges to 'keep going' with Rwanda policy

Mr Johnson added that the programme "may take a while to get working properly, but that doesn't mean we're not going to keep going".

Asked if it would be necessary to pull out of the European Convention of Human Rights to restrict legal challenges, Mr Johnson added: "Will it be necessary to change some laws to help us as we go along? It may very well be and all these options are under constant review."

Sky News understands that seven asylum seekers were due to be on the first flight from the UK to the east African country, set to take off this evening.

But at least one of the men is expected to make an urgent application to the Court of Appeal, which is likely to be heard out of hours by a single judge over the telephone.

The four potential deportees who today lost High Court bids to avoid being put on the plane include:

• an Iraqi Kurd who had suffered PTSD in Turkey while travelling to the UK and had brought a claim asking not to be removed due to his mental health and his relationship with his sister, who lives in the UK.

• a Vietnamese man who claimed to have received death threats from loan sharks in Vietnam who was also denied after the judge rejected an argument that he was denied translation services.

• a man who travelled to the UK from Iran with his 21-year-old son and had asked the court to prevent his removal due to his mental health and a right to a family life.

• an application by a Kurdish man who was also refused permission to appeal.

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Lawyers 'undermining' Rwanda policy

Truss rejects view that Rwanda plan 'shames Britain'

Lawyers discussed in court how claimants could appeal the rulings if they were deported. Any appeals would be first heard at the Court of Appeal, and then an application could be made to the Supreme Court.

Ms Truss told Sky News she could not say exactly how many migrants would be on board the plane which is due to take off this evening.

But she rejected claims from Church of England leaders that the policy to put asylum seekers on a one-way flight to east Africa "shames Britain".

A High Court and Court of Appeal legal challenge brought by groups including Care4Calais to the first flight under the Rwanda scheme failed with reports putting the cost of the flight at £500,000.

The government has rejected this figure, but the cost of the deportation is believed to be hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The aim of the scheme is to deter people illegally crossing into the UK.

So far, 92 adults and 12 children have been brought ashore by Border Force officials today after attempting to cross the Channel. They said they came from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Hope Hostel accommodation in Kigali, Rwanda where migrants from the UK are expected to be taken when they arrive. Picture date: Tuesday June 14, 2022.
Image: The Hope Hostel accommodation in Kigali, Rwanda

Policy is unworkable, Labour says

Mr Johnson hit back at lawyers challenging the policy at Cabinet this morning.

"What the criminal gangs are doing and what those who effectively are abetting the work of the criminal gangs are doing is undermining people's confidence in the safe and legal system," the prime minister said.

Read more:
What is it like to be a refugee in Rwanda?
Why are migrants being sent to Rwanda and how will it work?

In Kigali, the Rwandan capital, Sky News asked the country's government how they felt about deportees saying they would rather die than be sent there.

Spokesperson Yolande Makolo said: "We don't consider living in Rwanda a punishment."

Labour's shadow culture secretary Lucy Powell told Sky News: "We think this policy is unworkable... it's incredibly expensive. It's going to cost possibly over a million pounds per unsuccessful or successful refugee going to Rwanda. And we do think it's unethical - and it's quite un-British actually."

Meanwhile, the archbishops of Canterbury and York - as well as 23 other bishops - have written a letter to The Times that claims no attempt has been made to "understand the predicament" of those affected.

Their letter says: "Whether or not the first deportation flight leaves Britain today for Rwanda, this policy should shame us as a nation.

"The shame is our own, because our Christian heritage should inspire us to treat asylum seekers with compassion, fairness and justice, as we have for centuries."

Last year, more than 28,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats - more than three times the number seen in 2020.

More than half were either Iranian or Iraqi, with people from Eritrea and Syria also making crossings, according to Home Office figures.

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2022-06-14 16:51:16Z
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