London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

Rwanda asylum plan: UK ministers partially lose Rwanda secrecy bid

Rwanda asylum plan: UK ministers partially lose Rwanda secrecy bid

Ministers have partially lost an attempt to keep secret a series of comments about Rwanda from an adviser.

The High Court said on Wednesday some of what the adviser had told ministers must be disclosed in a major court case over the Rwandan refugee policy.

Lawyers for the government had argued disclosing the comments would damage relations with the African country.

The adviser had warned ministers Rwanda's government tortured and killed political opponents, the court heard.

While that warning of political violence was disclosed in court on Tuesday, further comments from the expert remain secret.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) adviser had looked at revisions to the government's own report into Rwanda's human rights record.

That document was being updated as ministers planned to send asylum seekers on a flight to Rwanda under the controversial relocation scheme announced in April.

The one-way plan, worth at least £120m to Rwanda, aims to discourage illegal crossings of the English Channel - but it is on ice until the High Court rules whether it is legal.

In court, the government said 10 further comments from the unnamed official should be kept confidential rather than be used as evidence in that forthcoming court case.

This meant they would not be disclosed to the group of migrants and charities who were challenging the flights policy.

But in his ruling Lord Justice Lewis said six of the official's comments, or parts of them, should feature in next month's legal battle.

He ruled four should remain entirely secret because of the damage they would do to international relations.

"I accept that disclosure of the 10 extracts would give rise to a real risk of causing serious harm to the United Kingdom's international relations, particularly with Rwanda," he said.

"I recognise that the government... regards a policy whereby those seeking asylum have their claims determined in Rwanda as a significant means of deterring people from seeking to cross the English Channel in boats or by other means.

"Disclosing the material in issue in this case would undermine the development and implementation of that policy."


'Evidential significance'


However the judge said given September's major legal action had to decide whether sending asylum seekers to Rwanda was lawful, the claimants and the court needed to consider as much evidence as possible.

He said some of the official's comments would have "evidential significance" - and the public interest in disclosing them outweighed the government's case for keeping them secret.

Lord Justice Lewis said: "I recognise that there is a strong public interest in not undermining international relations with a friendly state. Nonetheless, that consideration is outweighed by the public interest in ensuring access to relevant information in this litigation and by the extent to which the information is already in the public domain."

The official's precise words are not yet in public. The government has been allowed time to consider an appeal. If the judgment stands, the comments are likely to emerge in public in September.

Migrants identified for the first aborted flight, and three media organisations - BBC News, including BBC Two's Newsnight, the Times and the Guardian newspapers - sought the disclosure of the material.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
UK Home Secretary Apologizes Over Child Grooming Failures
Trump Organization Launches 5G Mobile Network and Golden Handset
Towcester Hosts 2025 English Greyhound Derby Amid Industry Scrutiny
Gary Oldman and David Beckham Knighted in King's Birthday Honours
Over 30,000 Lightning Strikes Recorded Across UK During Overnight Storms
Princess of Wales Returns to Public Duties at Trooping the Colour
Red Arrows Use Sustainable Fuel in Historic Trooping the Colour Flypast
Former Welsh First Minister Addresses Unionist Concerns Over Irish Language
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
France Bars Israeli Arms Companies from Paris Defense Expo
King Charles Leads Tribute to Air India Crash Victims at Trooping the Colour
Jack Pitchford Embarks on 200-Mile Walk to Support Stem Cell Charity
Surrey Hikers Take on Challenge of Climbing 11 Peaks in a Single Day
UK Deploys RAF Jets to Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions
Two Skydivers Die in 'Tragic Accident' at Devon Airfield
Sainsbury's and Morrisons Accused of Displaying Prohibited Tobacco Ads
UK Launches National Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
Families Seek Closure After Air India Crash
Gold Emerges as Global Safe Haven Amid Uncertainty
Trump Reports $57 Million Earnings from Crypto Venture
Trump's Military Parade Sparks Concerns Over Authoritarianism
×