New Irish Prime Minister faces backlash at home amid Rwanda asylum row
- Taoiseach Simon Harris has been labeled as ‘naïve’ by his cabinet ministers
Rishi Sunak has sparked civil war in the Irish government after wrong-footing the Republic over the Rwanda deal.
Key figures in the Irish Cabinet are taking aim at Taoiseach Simon Harris, in the role only since last month, for being out-manoeuvred.
They told The Mail on Sunday he was guilty of ‘naivety’ and a ‘flawed’ strategy after losing a diplomatic spat with Sunak.
The row comes amid a growing backlash in Ireland over migrants amid disputed claims that 80 per cent of asylum seekers arriving in the Republic after crossing the open border with Northern Ireland are fleeing the UK to avoid being sent to Rwanda.
Tented communities have sprung up in Dublin and sparked big anti-migrant demonstrations, often outside politicians’ homes.
Taoiseach Simon Harris (pictured) has been described as naïve by his cabinet ministers in the wake of the civil war with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over the Rwanda deal
Rishi Sunak is hoping to get flights off the ground to Rwanda by June as part of the government’s strategy to combat illegal small boat crossings
Two small boats carrying migrants towards England across the English Channel
Ireland insists that the land border with the UK remains open post-Brexit, but critics say that has backfired and allowed asylum seekers easy access.
In addition, the Irish high court has ruled that the UK is not to be judged a safe country to return asylum seekers because of the Rwanda legislation.
And Mr Sunak has made it clear that Britain would not accept any under proposed new legislation until the EU agrees a similar deal so that Britain can send boat people back to France.
Hundreds of asylum seekers were sleeping rough beside Dublin’s International Protection Office, which had no toilets or washing facilities, before the camp was cleared on Wednesday. But yesterday a new camp sprang up alongside the Grand Canal.
Local cab driver Michael Smith said: ‘It’s got ridiculous. They don’t speak great English, but they say it’s because of Rwanda.’
A Nigerian migrant, Otumba, told MailOnline he decided to go to Dublin because he knew what was going to happen.
‘I came to the UK to seek asylum. Then five weeks ago we heard that the Rwanda Bill is going to be passed, and we don’t want to go back to Africa.
‘It is not safe. Africa is like a volcano that can erupt any time.’
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