Prime Minister's Rwanda policy deemed UNLAWFUL
5 Supreme Court Judges have made their decision
Last updated 15th Nov 2023
Five judges from the Supreme Court have decided The Conservative Party's controversial policy to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda is unlawful
The Supreme Court has ruled that the government CANNOT send asylum seekers who arrive in the UK by unauthorised means to Rwanda.
The government was trying to overturn a previous decision which found it was unlawful to deport asylum seekers who arrive in the UK by unauthorised means to the African nation.
People who arrive without the relevant documentation will be flown 4,000 miles.
It was first introduced by the Government under Boris Johnson, and remained policy under Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.
Sonya Sceats, chief executive at charity Freedom from Torture said:
"This is a victory for reason and compassion.
"We are delighted that the Supreme Court has affirmed what caring people already knew: the UK Government's 'cash for humans' deal with Rwanda is not only deeply immoral, but it also flies in the face of the laws of this country."
A crowd of protesters has gathered outside the Supreme Court in Westminster to demonstrate against the Government's Rwanda policy.
The group chanted "hands off refugees" and "Rishi Sunak, shame on you".
They held signs that say "deportations are a violation of human rights" and "Rwanda policy must be stopped".
The former home secretary, Suella Braverman wrote in the letter that if they lose he will have "wasted a year" on the Illegal Migration Act "only to arrive back at square one".
"Worse than this, your magical thinking - believing that you can will your way through this without upsetting polite opinion - has meant you have failed to prepare any sort of credible 'Plan B'," she said.
Even in the event of Supreme Court victory, she said the Government "will struggle to deliver our Rwanda partnership in the way that the public expects".
She said the Act is "far from secure against legal challenges" and will "leave us vulnerable to being thwarted yet again" by the European court in Strasbourg.
It's been reported a group of Tory MPs were prepared to demand the UK leaves the European Convention on Human Rights if the police was found to be illegal. They want this on the next party manifesto ahead of the next General Election, likely to take place next year.
Leaving the European Convention on Human Rights was not discussed at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said.
The new Home Secretary James Cleverly is expected to make a formal announcement in the House of Commons following Prime Ministers Questions which starts at 12:00.