Following his party’s substantial electoral victory, Britain’s new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, announced he would abandon a controversial plan to send thousands of asylum seekers to Rwanda.
This plan, introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2022, aimed to reduce the number of unauthorized migrants entering Britain by relocating them to the East African country. However, no migrants were sent to Rwanda due to prolonged legal challenges.
In his first press briefing as prime minister, Starmer stated the Rwanda policy would be scrapped, calling it ineffective as a deterrent, impacting only about 1% of asylum seekers. “The Rwanda scheme was dead and buried before it started. It’s never been a deterrent,” Starmer said. “I’m not prepared to continue with gimmicks that don’t act as a deterrent.”
Starmer’s win marked one of the largest parliamentary majorities in modern British history, but he faces significant challenges, including improving public services and reviving a struggling economy.
