UK ministers acknowledge detention of asylum seekers to be sent to Rwanda

The FDA has said its members could be in violation of the civil service code if they follow a minister’s demands to ignore an urgent injunction from Strasbourg banning a deportation.

A demonstration was taking place on Wednesday outside Lunar House in Croydon, south London, where a Sudanese man was detained on Monday and told he was being sent to Rwanda.

This is a complex piece of work, but we remain absolutely committed to operationalising the policy, to stop the boats and break the business model of people-smuggling gangs.”

Enver Solomon, the chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: “The government’s move to detain people is causing fear, distress and great anxiety among men, women and children who have fled war and persecution to reach safety in the UK.

Labour has denied it will continue with the Rwanda removals in government, after a senior source told the New Statesman the party could retain the scheme while it tries to agree a returns agreement with the EU.

Keir Starmer’s spokesperson said Labour would categorically not send any asylum seekers to Rwanda – though he said the party would not seek to bring back any people who were sent there under the Tory government.