Labour considers deporting failed asylum seekers to safe countries

Labour's new deportation plans

Labour is considering deporting failed asylum seekers to safe countries as part of new plans to tackle small boat crossings. The proposal includes setting up return hubs for individuals who have exhausted all appeals but cannot return to their home countries like Afghanistan, Iran, or Syria.

Backlash and wasted funds

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp criticized Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer for canceling the Rwanda deportation scheme shortly after taking office, calling it a "catastrophic mistake." The move comes after it was revealed that £1 million was wasted on old planes for the failed Rwanda migrants scheme, with a total bill of £939,000.

Training with old planes

The Home Office spent £671,000 on fuselages for training Border Force officers in removing migrants, with an additional £268,000 cost for storing the planes after the scheme was scrapped. The fuselages were used for training at a film studio hangar in Cardington Airfield, Beds, previously used for filming popular shows and movies.