Achi news desk-
The new revelation that James Cleverly spent more than £165,000 on a flight to Rwanda last year has launched a wave of backlash across social media.
The home secretary used a private jet for a one-day round trip to the Rwandan capital of Kigali in December to sign a legally binding deportation agreement only.
According to the Guardian, Cleverly took members of his private office, a few civil servants, a photographer and the BBC television crew.
This news comes weeks after it was revealed that the government plans to spend £1.8 million on each of the first 300 asylum seekers it is deporting to the east African country.
The government has so far flown more home secretaries to Rwanda than any asylum seekers, having sent Cleverly’s predecessors, Priti Patel and Suella Braverman – and no refugees.
Thursday’s transparency document revealed his £165,561.53 trip also cost significantly more than Braverman’s trip in March 2023, which came in at just over £40,000.
Cleverly’s flight came shortly after the UK’s supreme court said Rwanda was an “unsafe country”, too.
The home secretary told a news conference in Kigali that it is safe, and his agreement addresses “all the issues” raised by the supreme judges.
Asked about the flight, a Home Office spokesman said: “The cost of the asylum system could reach up to £11bn a year by 2026, and we make no apologies for pursuing bold solutions such as our partnership with Rwanda to stop the boats and save lives. .
“All government spending goes through thorough due diligence to ensure the best value for money.”
Opposition Immigration Minister Stephen Kinnock said: “Having clearly decided that committing £600m of taxpayers’ money to the Rwandan government for just 300 refugees was not outrageous enough, the home secretary decided to blow £165,000 on a plane to sign the hare brain plan.
“This government’s enthusiasm for wasting taxpayers’ money knows no bounds.”
The plan is currently facing further difficulties after facing seven defeats in the House of Lords over the government’s Rwanda security bill on Wednesday.
And, although the bill was rushed through parliament as emergency legislation before Christmas, the government has now postponed it until after Easter.
So, this latest news about Cleverly’s trip to Rwanda didn’t fly on social media…
