Priti Patel says 'work is taking place right now' on removing first migrants to Rwanda

Priti Patel today met with Rwanda's foreign minister as she vowed to push ahead with her plans to relocate migrants to the east African country after more than 900 crossed the Channel in just four days. The Home Secretary also said today that work was taking place 'right now' on sending the first migrants from the UK to Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed. More than 900 have crossed the Channel in just four days The £120m UK-Rwanda agreement was formally signed by the Home Secretary five weeks ago in Kigali Since the start of this year, 8,697 people have reached the UK after navigating busy shipping lanes from France in small boats, according to analysis of Government data by the PA news agency. Asked what she was doing now to curb Channel crossings while work on the Rwanda deal takes place, Ms Patel told the PA news agency: 'These crossings are dangerous, put together by people smugglers who are just exploiting people that think that they can come to our country through these dangerous routes. Ms Patel, who visited a fire station in south London, said work was taking place 'right now' on sending the first migrants from the UK to Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed The Home Secretary has vowed to push ahead with her plans to relocate migrants to the east African country The first tranche of illegal migrants have already been notified of the Ms Patel's intention to send them 4,000 miles away to Rwanda Meanwhile Kevin Hollinrake, Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton, urged Boris Johnson to stop plans for an asylum processing centre in his constituency.