Labour under fresh fire for ditching Rwanda scheme as European Union nations line up to deport migrants to the African nation as early as next year, with deportations to Uzbekistan and Uganda also on the cards

Labor came under fire again today for abandoning its Rwanda plan as it emerged European countries could start deporting migrants from next year.

European Union diplomats said many countries hope to start sending those who cannot apply for asylum to the African country, with the possibility of deportation to Uzbekistan and Uganda as well.

This comes after the bloc last week adopted a new law giving European capitals greater powers to create so-called ‘return centres’ in non-EU countries to combat illegal crossings.

Denmark, Austria, Greece, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands are among those hoping to start deportations from 2027.

More than half of the bloc’s 27 member states have backed the idea of ​​offshore processing centers and called on Eurocrats in Brussels to help speed up the establishment of such centres.

By contrast, one of Sir Keir Starmer’s first acts after entering Downing Street in 2024 was to scrap the previous Tory government’s Rwandan deportation plan, which was intended to act as a deterrent to small boat migrants crossing the Channel.

Conservative MP Greg Smith said: ‘As the boats keep coming, Labor is failing to take the necessary steps to tackle the flow of illegal immigrants into the UK.

More than 700 small boat migrants crossed the Channel last Monday alone, among more than 2,000 people who arrived throughout the week.

‘Return centres’ will house people who have exhausted all legal means to stay in the bloc and are awaiting deportation, according to new EU rules adopted in the European Parliament with right-wing European MPs chanting ‘send them home’

‘The most obvious failure was Labor shelving the Rwanda partnership; This plan is adopted by many other countries that the government claims to admire.’

Conservative MP Jack Rankin added: ‘Labour had the pleasure of shelving the Rwanda Plan before it even started, just days before he took office. Instead they gave us more small boat passage than under any other Prime Minister.

‘How stupid the European Parliament looks that Starmer is so fond of voting to speed up deportations and EU countries are now stealing our Rwanda idea.

‘As Western nations become aware of the dangers of mass illegal immigration, the working class are rapidly finding themselves on the wrong side of history.’

Conservative peer Lord Kempsell said: ‘This development shows that offshore processing is still an important part of the attempt to take back control of our borders.

‘This creates a strong deterrent to illegal entry into the UK.

‘Those who thought this was useless or undesirable in the past are clearly not following developments in the European Union, where offshore processing is now part of mainstream immigration policy.’

Although the number of Channel migrants so far this year has been lower than last year, there has been an increase of nearly 2,000 in the past week, with 710 of them landing on British shores last Monday alone.

This year’s running figure is only a few hundred behind the same point in the record year 2022.

EU diplomats stressed that the countries hosting the centers have not yet been decided, but Rwanda, Uzbekistan and Uganda are part of the talks, in part because the bloc has poured hundreds of millions of pounds into those countries for other programmes.

Under new EU rules adopted in the European Parliament to the slogans of ‘send them home’ by right-wing European MPs, return centers will house people who have already exhausted all legal means to stay in the bloc and are awaiting deportation.

This differs from the UK scheme that applies to newly arrived immigrants.

But critics say Labor has ruled out overseas processing after winning the 2024 election, which they say will act as a deterrent if migrants know they could be deported.

It is designed to provide EU capitals with a clear legal framework for offshore installations.

A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The previous government’s policy wasted time and £700m of taxpayers’ money to send four volunteers to Rwanda.

We are now focused on delivering vital reforms to restore order and control at our borders, including removing the incentives that attract illegal immigrants to the UK and increasing deportations of those who have no right to be here.

‘We have removed and deported nearly 70,000 immigrants and foreign criminals since we came to power.’