What's happened
Former Prime Minister John Major has condemned the UK government's Rwanda asylum scheme as 'un-Conservative' and 'un-British.' He criticized the plan's potential revival by Conservative leadership candidates and urged the party to focus on appealing to centre-right voters following their recent electoral defeat.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, Sir John Major criticized the Rwanda scheme as 'un-Conservative and un-British,' expressing concerns about its effectiveness as a deterrent for asylum seekers. He stated, 'Are they seriously saying to me that somewhere in the backwoods of some North Africa country, they actually know what the British Parliament has legislated for?' Meanwhile, The Mirror reported that Major warned against a merger with Reform UK, calling it 'fatal' for the Conservative Party. He urged the party to focus on appealing to centre-right voters, noting that they lost more seats to Labour and the Liberal Democrats than to Reform UK. The Independent echoed Major's sentiments, highlighting his view that the Rwanda scheme was worse than historical deportations of convicts to Australia, stating, 'I don’t think transportation, for that is what it is, is a policy suitable for the 21st century.'
How we got here
The Rwanda asylum scheme was introduced by the previous Conservative government to deter illegal crossings of the Channel. However, it faced legal challenges and was scrapped by the new Labour government shortly after taking office in July 2024.
Common question
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What Did John Major Say About the Rwanda Asylum Scheme?
Former Prime Minister John Major has recently voiced strong criticisms against the UK government's Rwanda asylum scheme, labeling it as 'un-Conservative' and 'un-British.' His remarks have sparked discussions about the implications of this scheme on current Conservative policies and the party's future direction. Below are some common questions regarding Major's critique and the broader context of the Rwanda asylum scheme.
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