The Slow Newscast The Rwanda plan: How to waste £700m
Feb 11, 2025
Kat Nealon, a Reporter for Tortoise Media, dives into the controversial Rwanda plan, which saw a staggering £715 million spent with little to show for it. She uncovers the political motivations and implications of this policy on asylum seekers, revealing financial burdens and delays. The discussion highlights internal struggles within the Home Office and the ethical dilemmas faced by civil servants. With legal challenges and public skepticism looming, the bleak reality of this immigration strategy raises pressing questions about its future.
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Grounded Flight
- A planned deportation flight to Rwanda on June 14, 2022, was halted.
- A last-minute ruling from the European Court of Human Rights stopped the flight.
Costly Inaction
- The UK government spent £715 million on the Rwanda plan but deported no one.
- This raises questions about resource allocation and policy effectiveness.
Spiraling Staff Costs
- Staffing costs for the Rwanda plan rose significantly as the project expanded.
- At its peak, around 1,000 people were involved, impacting other Home Office work.