The only winners from Labour’s Channel migrants plan are “people smugglers and the EU”, James Cleverly has warned.
The Shadow Home Secretary slammed Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to scrap the Rwanda deportation scheme after Germany’s migration commissioner proposed deporting illegal arrivals to Kigali.
Joachim Stamp, Germany’s Special Representative for Migration Agreements, said Berlin could exploit the framework established by the UK and Rwandan Governments to deal with asylum seekers crossing into Europe from Belarus.
Security chiefs are concerned the flow of migrants from Belarus is being orchestrated by the Russian government and Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko.
Mr Cleverly said: “Labour’s first move in government was to scrap the Rwanda plan.
“Now Germany want to use the facilities we built.
“The only people who benefit from Labour’s reckless immigration policies are people smugglers and the EU.”
Finland sealed its border with Russia after accusing Moscow of encouraging a flow of African and Middle Eastern migrants to cross as part of a “hybrid operation”.
Italy has also accused the Wagner Group – Vladimir Putin’s bloodthirsty mercenaries – of being behind the surge in migrants crossing to Italy from Libya.
Rome believes it is part of Moscow’s response to support for Ukraine.
And Poland said Belarus lured migrants to Minsk with the promise of European visas, leading to a crisis on the border between the two nations.
Belarus has been one of Russia’s few supporters since Putin invaded Ukraine.
Wagner forces have been operating in several African countries including Libya, Mali, and the Central African Republic.
And Mr Stamp said the EU could utilise the asylum facilities in Rwanda – set up under the deal to deport thousands of Channel migrants to Kigali – to remove thousands who have crossed over from Belarus.
The Labour Government is prioritising closer ties with the EU and hunting the smuggling gangs to end the crisis.
Under Mr Stamp’s proposal, the asylum procedures in Rwanda would be conducted under the supervision of the United Nations.
He said: “We currently have no third country that has come forward, with the exception of Rwanda.
“Stamp, a member of the junior coalition FDP party and whose position sits in Germany’s Interior Ministry, said this model would specifically target refugees crossing the EU’s eastern borders.
“My suggestion would be that we concentrate on this group. It’s about 10,000 people a year,”
He said Rwanda has publicly expressed its willingness to continue implementing this model.
