UK Prime Minister Halts Rwanda Refugee Plan

In his first day as Prime Minister, Keir Starmer has halted the controversial plan to deport migrants to Rwanda.

Sources close to the Labour Party confirmed that the Conservative-led initiative to send illegal migrants to Rwanda is effectively "dead," according to The Telegraph.

Tackling illegal immigration is expected to be a top priority for the new government, especially with a projected increase in small boat crossings during the summer.

French President Emmanuel Macron, a key figure in Labour's strategy to address the issue, was reportedly the first world leader to contact Starmer, speaking with him on Thursday evening.

Newly appointed Home Secretary Yvette Cooper stated on Friday that one of the government's primary duties is to "keep our borders secure."

She emphasized the importance of establishing a new Border Security Command in her initial meetings with officials.

Immigration was a central issue in the recent election campaign, with Labour gaining momentum by focusing on the topic.

Despite this, their lead in the polls translated into only a narrow victory of five seats.

The Rwanda plan, originally introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and continued by Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, faced numerous legal challenges, preventing any flights from taking off.

It became a contentious topic during the campaign, with Starmer vowing to terminate the plan.

Labour insiders have confirmed that the Conservative Party’s plan to deport migrants who arrived in the UK illegally to Rwanda is effectively "dead."

The UK can end the Rwanda plan by invoking a breach clause in the agreement, allowing either government to withdraw without further payments from the UK starting from the activation date of the clause.

Labour's decisive victory in the general election on Thursday saw the party securing 411 seats out of 650 in the House of Commons, significantly outpacing the Conservatives, who are left with just 120 seats — their worst electoral performance since the early 20th century.