Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has defended the UK’s former asylum partnership with Rwanda, arguing that the controversial policy remains central to efforts to deter migrants from crossing the English Channel in small boats.
In an opinion article published by The Sunday Times on October 10, Sunak said he would “always regret” failing to resolve the small boats crisis during his time in office. He argued that the UK’s attempts to control irregular migration would remain ineffective without a credible deterrent.
Sunak said his government had considered withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if efforts to reform the convention and its court failed. However, he said the prospect of leaving was abandoned during the 2024 election campaign amid concerns about the political consequences.
He argued that a government with a fresh electoral mandate, a parliamentary majority and a full five-year term would have greater scope to pursue withdrawal.
The Rwanda partnership, introduced under the previous Conservative government, was designed to transfer some asylum seekers arriving in the UK to Rwanda for their claims to be processed there. The policy was intended to discourage dangerous Channel crossings, but it faced legal challenges and was ultimately abandoned by the Labour government after taking office in 2024.
Sunak’s renewed defence places Rwanda back at the centre of the UK’s debate over migration enforcement, international human rights obligations and the effectiveness of third-country asylum arrangements.
