No 10 hits back at Emmanuel Macron's jibe that the Rwanda scheme is a 'betrayal' of European values
Downing Street hit back at Emmanuel Macron last night after the French President condemned Rishi Sunak's flagship scheme to deport Channel migrants to Rwanda as a 'betrayal' of European values.
In an incendiary intervention, President Macron said he did not believe in 'this model that some people want to put in place, which means that you go and look for a third country, for example in Africa, and send our immigrants there'.
He suggested the scheme would be 'ineffective', adding: 'This is a betrayal of our values and will lead us down the path of new dependencies on third countries.'
Downing Street dismissed the claim, saying the plan was 'entirely compliant with our international obligations'.
Number 10 has dismissed claims by France that Rishi Sunak's Rwanda scheme is a 'betrayal' of European values
French president Emmanuel Macron said he did not believe in the model of sending immigrants to 'third countries'
Migrants are continuing to make small boat crossings despite the passing of the Rwanda scheme in Parliament earlier this week (file picture from March of migrants in the English Channel)
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: 'We don't agree, we think that our approach is the right one. In terms of breaking the business model of the criminal gangs, we need a strong deterrent.
'And we need to make clear that if you come here in a small boat, you won't be able to stay.
'We've seen other partners and other countries around the world also explore similar options.'
READ MORE: James Cleverly slams 'paternalistic' attitude of Rwanda plan opponents as law is FINALLY signed onto the statute bookAdvertisement
Former home secretary Dame Priti Patel also criticised the French President, saying: 'President Macron is clearly worried that our partnership with Rwanda will mean that fewer migrants will attempt to cross the Channel and he will need to take responsibility for dealing with their asylum applications and with the criminal gangs that are running rife in France.'
The government's Rwanda Bill finally became law yesterday after months of delay, and a new treaty designed to ensure the African country is safe for migrants also came into force.
The moves mean that Home Office officials can now start detaining the first batch of migrants destined for deportation to Rwanda ahead of the first flights this summer.
Meanwhile, Ireland's foreign minister yesterday complained that the prospect of being sent to Rwanda was already persuading some migrants to flee to his country.
Micheal Martin said Mr Sunak's 'knee jerk' policy was driving an influx of arrivals, with 80 per cent of asylum seekers in Ireland crossing the border from the north.
'I believe the Rwanda effect is impacting on Ireland. And I think that didn't happen today or yesterday. It's been growing since the first iteration and publication of that strategy around Rwanda,' he said.
'I don't think anyone's gone to Rwanda yet but to me it's reflective of a policy. It is having real impact on Ireland now in terms of people being fearful in the UK - maybe that's the impact it was designed to have.'
Related articles
Chinese scientists create mutant Ebola virus to skirt around biosafety rules
Chinese scientists have engineered a virus with parts of Ebola in a lab that killed a group of hamst2024-05-07Commentary: Sowing discord, fanning flames no good for peace in Middle East
(Xinhua) 15:27, October 14, 2023BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- A bipartisan delegation of the U.S. Sen2024-05-07Qiongzhou Strait faced peak of return travel during Spring Festival migration
Beijing, February17 (Youth.cn) -On February 16th, 2024, at the Haikou Xinhai Passenger Transport Hub2024-05-07Chinese books on display at Paris Book Festival 2024
A woman reads a Chinese book during Paris Book Festival 2024 in Paris, France, April 12, 2024. The b2024-05-07Polish prosecutors open investigation after judge flees to autocratic Belarus
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish prosecutors opened an investigation Monday after a Polish judge fled to2024-05-07Dramatic moment carpenter, 25, who stabbed four people then murdered a Good Samaritan is arrested
This is the moment a carpenter who stabbed four people with a knife and then murdered a man who inte2024-05-07
atest comment