The Government has been given the go-ahead to take a legal battle over its Rwanda deportation policy to the Supreme Court.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had indicated he would seek an appeal as he “fundamentally” disagreed with the Court of Appeal’s ruling that the multimillion-pound deal – which would see asylum seekers deported to the east African nation – was unlawful.
In court orders seen by the PA news agency on Thursday, the Court of Appeal granted permission for the Government to challenge their decision at the Supreme Court.
In the ruling last month, Sir Geoffrey Vos and Lord Justice Underhill concluded “deficiencies” in the asylum system in Rwanda mean there is a “real risk” asylum seekers could be returned to their home country and face persecution or other inhumane treatment when they may have a good claim for asylum.
Campaigners welcomed the decision, with charity Asylum Aid which brought the challenge alongside several asylum seekers, describing the ruling at the time as a “vindication of the importance of the rule of law and basic fairness when fundamental rights are at stake”.
But Home Secretary Suella Braverman claimed the system was “rigged against the British people” and said she remained “fully committed” to the policy and, despite the ruling, insisted she still had “every confidence” in the plan while stressing that Rwanda was a safe country.
