"We are 'being forced' to send migrants to Rwanda"

On Sunday Member of Parliament Oliver Dowden was asked by Sky's Sophy Ridge if he is "comfortable" with the idea of sending children and families to the east African nation if they arrive in the UK illegally. 

According to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the government "doesn't relish" deporting migrants to Rwanda but is being "forced" to pursue the controversial policy because of the rise in Channel crossings, a cabinet minister has claimed.  He said: "I don't relish any of this and I really wish we didn't have to do it… we are being forced to do it."

Going further to listing the reasons why the government is being "forced" into the policy, Mr Dowden said: "With those children seeking to cross the Channel, I think of the danger that their lives are being put in, the evil people smugglers in whose hands they're placed. 

"And unless we are willing as a government and as a country to take tough action in relation to this, the numbers will keep on growing and more people's lives will be put at risk, the lives of young children. And I'm simply not willing to allow that to happen." 

Labour's Lisa Nandy asked what the government has been "forced to do" as she pointed out the £140m deportation scheme is yet to get off the ground since it was launched last April.

She said "everybody accepts" that the small boat crossings amount to a "crisis... but the question is what is the government actually doing so far?" 

Ms Nandy said: "They've done several PR opportunities and photo ops. We've had £140m of cheques written to Rwanda in order to implement a scheme that hasn't removed a single person. This is just more stunts from this government."