The new Home Secretary has declared that Rwanda is an “incredibly important” part of the Government’s strategy to prevent small boats from reaching Britain. And he wants to reduce illegal migration to Britain as close to nil as possible.
Mr Cleverly has faced fury from allies of former home secretary Suella Braverman after declaring flights to Kigali are not “the be and end all”, prompting fears of a shift after Mrs Braverman’s departure.
But his “mission to zero” claim is the clearest indication yet of the Home Office’s measure of success in the battle against the smuggling gangs.
Mr Cleverly, who faced MPs about their concerns over net migration, has also ordered a “mission to control” the number of legal arrivals.
The Daily Express understands he wants the migration system to be able to plug gaps in the labour workforce, where necessary, but not to spiral out of control. Mr Cleverly told MPs yesterday “The whole point of having border control” is ensuring migration can support the economy without hitting social cohesion.
He added: “Both of those things are important. We want to make sure that we are choosing the right people in the right numbers at the right pace – and I can give the House categoric assurance that will always underpin our thinking with regard to what future changes we might make to the legal migration processes.”
Tory MPs are demanding the Government slash net migration after it hit a record high of 745,000 in the year to December.
Conservative MP Jonathan Gullis said ministers to restore confidence must be willing to go “further and harder, rather than just tinkering”.
Ministers are considering raising the minimum salary threshold for migrants hoping to come to the UK on skilled-worker visas.
This could be increased to £35,000 under proposals put forward by Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick. The Shortage Occupation List, which allows firms to recruit foreign workers for less than the £26,000 minimum threshold, and a limit on dependents is also being considered.
But Mr Cleverly, in his first appearance in front of MPs, was forced to defend his stance on the Rwanda deportation scheme.
The Cabinet minister faced calls from backbenchers for Parliament’s “sovereign will” to take precedence over agreements like the European Convention on Human Rights if necessary. Conservative MPs are growing increasingly frustrated over delays to the new treaty with Rwanda and want ministers to “disapply” the ECHR to new emergency legislation.
This, they say, would allow the first flights to take off.
Mr Cleverly was asked by Tory MP Jack Brereton in the Commons whether the necessary “legal exemptions” would be in place to allow flights. The Home Secretary replied: “The Rwanda scheme is an incredibly important part of the basket of responses that we have.
“I will do everything to ensure that we drive down small-boat arrivals. That is the promise we have made to the British people and that is the commitment we will deliver.”
Miriam Cates, co-chair of the New Conservatives MPs group, welcomed the unpublished legislation and treaty but asked for assurances it will take “precedence over the interpretation” of international treaties.
Mr Cleverly responded: “The excellent working relationship we have with Rwanda will give us the opportunity to have a treaty that addresses the issues in the Supreme Court judgment.” The Government’s flagship plan to deport Channel migrants to Rwanda was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court, throwing the scheme into disarray.
Around 28,500 people have crossed the Channel by small boat so far this year, according to official figures. November has seen 1,009 migrants make the perilous journey.
