Rwanda flights won't take off before July 4 general election, admits Rishi Sunak

Migrant Channel crossing incidents

Rishi Sunak admitted on Thursday that no deportation flights would take off for Rwanda before the July 4 general election.

He insisted that the Conservatives would get their flagship immigration scheme working after the country goes to the polls.

But his admission comes after one of his five key pledges was to “stop the boats” crossing the Channel.

Mr Sunak was grilled on LBC Radio about this promise and when the first plane would take off before the election.

He said: “The first flights will go in July...and there will be a drumbeat of flights over the summer to build a deterrence.”

But pressed by presenter Nick Ferrari how many flights will take off before July 4: I’ve said the first flights will go in July....after the election.”

Mr Ferrari added so that meant no flights before the election.

Mr Sunak responded: “Yes, but the preparation work has already gone on.”

Earlier, on BBC Breakfast, the PM hinted there would be no pre-election Rwanda flights.

He said: "If I'm re-elected as Prime Minister on July 5, these flights will go, we will get our Rwanda scheme up and running."

The admission may explain why the Prime Minister decided to go for a July election, as another summer of thousands of asylum seekers and economic migrants risking their lives in unseaworthy inflatable boats to reach Britain, with no deportation flights, would expose his Rwanda plan as failing, at least temporarily.

The Prime Minister’s other key pledges were to get NHS waiting lists falling, halve inflation, grow the economy, and cut debt.

He admitted that he would have wanted to make more progress on reducing waiting list, which currently are at around 7.5 million, around 300,000 higher than when he made the promise, in the strike-hit NHS.

Mr Sunak has succeeded in his pledge to halve inflation and the economy is growing.

However, he will face accusations that he has not made the promise to cut the nation’s debt.

Tory MPs were left stunned, some furious, that Mr Sunak had gone for a July election.

The premier denied that the real reason for calling a summer election is that inflation is expected to rise again and there is likely to be a spike in small boat arrivals over the summer.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, he said: "No, that's not the real reason.

"And when it comes to the economy, of course I know there's more work to do. I know that people are only just starting to feel the benefits of the changes that we've brought.

"And for some people when they look at their bank balance at the end of every month it will still be difficult, but we have undeniably made progress and stability has returned."

Mr Sunak said he chose to call an election earlier than many expected because "the economy has turned a corner".

The Prime Minister, kicking off his tour of broadcast studios on Thursday morning on GB News, said it was "great to have a chance to explain why".

"I think after a difficult few years, I'm pleased that economic stability is now returning to the country.

"We've just seen that inflation has returned to normal, the economy is growing at a healthy rate again, wages have been rising sustainably for several months now, and although I know not everyone is feeling the full benefits of that yet, it's clear that we have turned a corner.

"So now is the moment to look to the future, and the world is clearly in a more uncertain place than it's been in decades. And the question for the country is, the choice of this election is, who's got the boldest ideas, the clearest plan to provide a secure future for you and your family?"

He also pointed to his "bold" Rwanda asylum policy, saying border security is "a great thing to be talking about at this election".

Mr Sunak claimed Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer would do "absolutely nothing about it" and would "offer an amnesty to illegal migrants".

Labour has said it would set up a border force command to tackle the criminal gangs behind the “small boats” traffic.

But it is far from clear that Sir Keir’s plan would work.

Labour's national campaign co-ordinator Pat McFadden has said people should "ignore the polls" and "assume nothing about the outcome" of the General Election.

Put to him on ITV's Good Morning Britain that Labour is well ahead in the polls, which would make it Labour's election to lose, the MP said: "Look, I would encourage people to ignore the polls because we start this election with not a single vote being cast, not a seat being won, or lost, and we assume nothing about the outcome.

"And the basic choice will be, we can carry on with five more years of what we've already had for the past 14, or we can vote for change."

To receive the best stories in your inbox every day, click here to register for one or more newsletters from The Standard.