Just one in five voters thinks Rwanda plan will actually 'stop the boats'
Just one in five voters believes the Tories’ plan to deport Channel migrants to Rwanda will stop desperate refugees clambering in small boats to come to Britain.
An exclusive Redfield & Wilton Strategies study for the Mirror found only 22% of 1,500 voters quizzed online think the controversial policy will be a deterrent.
Half of those questioned said it would not.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman have repeatedly claimed that deporting boat migrants to the African nation will deter others from attempting the perilous journey across the Strait of Dover - the world’s busiest shipping lane.
Visiting a Home Office joint control centre in Dover, Kent, this month, the PM spoke with staff about wanting to create a “deterrent effect” for people planning the journey.
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Speaking on a trip to Rwandan capital Kigali with handpicked journalists last weekend, Mrs Braverman claimed: “The UK-Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership is a groundbreaking approach that will act as a powerful deterrent against dangerous and illegal journeys such as small boat crossings.”
But just 38% of voters questioned in the poll backed the policy, with 21% against.
Suella Braverman visiting Kigali last week (PA)The others either did not know or said they neither supported nor opposed the plan.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The Tories have already written Rwanda a cheque for £140m with much more promised - even though Suella Braverman has admitted the scheme is failing and they know it won’t work to tackle boat crossings.
“ Labour would put that money into a new Cross Border Police Unit to go after the criminal gangs instead.
“Suella Braverman is more interested in expensive photo ops than in the serious hard work needed to tackle the problem.”
Voters were split on whether the eye-watering sum already spent on the scheme - even though not a single migrant has been deported to Rwanda amid legal battles - would have been worth it if Channel crossings dropped significantly.
More than 3,000 migrants have already made the treacherous Channel crossing this year.
A record 45,756 completed the journey last year.
In 2021, 28,526 migrants came to the UK using the dangerous route. The previous year it was 8,404.
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Charities opposed to the Rwanda deportation plan urged the Government to abandon the proposal.
Care4Calais founder Clare Moseley said: "By the time refugees arrive in Calais their lives have been in danger for so long that further threats have little impact; that’s the essence of why they are willing to get in flimsy boats.
“If the Government truly wanted to ‘stop the boats’ it would give safe passage to refugees in Calais.
“This would put people smugglers out of business overnight and, more importantly, save lives."
Refugee Council chief Enver Solomon said: "The Government has failed to produce any evidence that its flawed Rwanda plan would act as a deterrent to refugees coming to the UK.
“The fact that only a minority of the public thinks it would dissuade people from making dangerous journeys shows just how badly thought-out this plan really is.
"This disturbing policy is hugely expensive and it would effectively remove the right to a fair hearing on UK soil.
“This will damage the UK’s reputation as a country that values human rights, and undermine our commitment to provide safety to those fleeing conflict and oppression, as enshrined in the 1951 Refugee Convention.
“It's completely out of line with the values most people in the UK hold dear.”
The Government has said the current asylum system costs £3 billion a year, including around £6million a day on hotel accommodation for migrants.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our world-leading Migration and Economic Partnership with Rwanda is one part of a robust package of measures to stop Channel crossings.
“The High Court recently upheld our thorough assessment of Rwanda which found it is a safe and secure country, and we remain committed to delivering this policy.
“These crossings are placing an unprecedented strain on our asylum system, which is why those arriving in the UK illegally will be detained and promptly removed to their country of origin or a safe third country under our new plans - and face a permanent ban from returning."
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