Top Home Office civil servant raised objections over Rwanda asylum policy
The IndependentSign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Priti Patel issued a “ministerial direction” after the Home Office’s top civil servant raised objections over the multi-million pound proposal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing. The Independent also understands that Ms Patel instructed the Home Office to press ahead with the policy – using a “ministerial direction” – despite an objection being raised by the permanent secretary at the department. Simple things like that.” open image in gallery David Davis suggests policy is ‘bonkers' “I understand they think they don’t need the Borders Bill to do this, which is extraordinary,” he said. You’re going to send people 6,000 miles into central Africa − it looked when it was discussed in parliament before that it would actually be cheaper to put each asylum seeker in the Ritz hotel in London.” Earlier, the UN high commissioner on refugees, Filippo Grandi, also accused the UK of “shifting its responsibilities to another country and undermining the practice of asylum globally” with the plan to process people in Rwanda.