Germany has hit back at claims it could adopt a UK-style Rwanda deportation plan, as Sir Keir Starmer insisted it was right the Government had scrapped the scheme.
News reports from Berlin suggested the country could adopt accommodation in Rwanda originally planned for the UK’s now-scrapped scheme, with the aim of deporting unauthorised migrants to the east African country.
Germany’s ambassador to the UK pushed back against the claims, though he said the country is looking at a UN-backed scheme to process asylum applications in a third country, similar to what Britain planned in Rwanda.
Asked by the BBC if he was wrong to end the Tory policy in light of the reports, the Prime Minister said: “No, it was a gimmick. It cost us £700 million to persuade four volunteers to go to Rwanda.
“We’re going to use that money on operational matters.”
Speaking at a summit aimed at tackling the small boats crisis, Sir Keir added: “And I think the Germans have already cleared up that they’re not using the Rwanda plan, and that’s because they’ve concluded – like we have – that it won’t work.
“We’re going to concentrate on what works. That means taking down the gangs that are running this trade.”
Germany had earlier hit back at reports it was considering a Rwanda plan.
Miguel Berger, Berlin’s ambassador to the UK, wrote on Twitter, formerly X: “Let’s be clear, there is no plan of the German Government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
“The discussion is about processing asylum applications in third countries under international humanitarian law and with support of the United Nations.”
Reports that Germany could adopt such a scheme surfaced when Joachim Stamp, the country’s migration commissioner, suggested the EU could utilise existing asylum accommodation in Rwanda originally destined for the British scheme.
Downing Street would not comment on the discussions between two foreign governments.
The Rwanda plan, launched by the Tories while in power, was intended to deter migrants planning to cross the English Channel in small boats from making the journey with the threat of deportation to Kigali.
Sir Keir scrapped the scheme, which ministers said had cost £700 million in the last year alone, when Labour came to power in the summer.
