NORTH East MPs have had their say on the Government’s decision to send some asylum seekers arriving in the UK to Rwanda.

Ministers were braced for legal challenges over widely criticised plans to send up to tens of thousands of asylum seekers who arrive in the UK in unauthorised Channel crossing  to Rwanda.

Boris Johnson insisted his scheme to detain and fly migrants more than 4,000 miles to East Africa at the expense of the taxpayer was not “draconian and lacking in compassion.”

Both the Prime Minister and Priti Patel, however, said they were prepared to fight attempts to use the courts to block the plans heavily criticised by refugee charities.

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Matt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton South tweeted saying he was “delighted” about the Government’s plans to take control of the UK’s borders.

The Northern Echo: Matt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton South, said he was "delighted" with the plansMatt Vickers, Conservative MP for Stockton South, said he was "delighted" with the plans

He said: “Delighted to see the government taking real action on illegal channel crossings. Offshore processing has been proven to work and is key in solving the Channel migrant crisis and taking back control of our borders.”

Mary Foy, Labour MP for City of Durham on the other hand, did not hold back with her views. 

The Northern Echo: Mary Foy, Labour MP for City of Durham said she was "completely opposed" to the plansMary Foy, Labour MP for City of Durham said she was "completely opposed" to the plans

She said: “I am completely opposed to the 'offshoring' of asylum seekers.

“This policy is inhumane, immoral, and completely unworkable.

“Any politician with decency will fight against this latest cruelty of the racist 'Hostile Environment' policy.”

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Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, was all for the idea as well.

The Northern Echo: Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said "We offer no apologies for enforcing the UK border"Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, said "We offer no apologies for enforcing the UK border"

He said: “For far too long, our asylum system has been open to abuse by those who choose to bypass our laws and by the criminal gangs who exploit those people in orchestrating illegal and dangerous Channel crossings. 

“This new plan will not only dissuade innocent asylum seekers from ending up in the arms of dangerous criminals, it will also protect the UK from those with ill-intent who seek to exploit our asylum system.

“The same tired voices will proclaim this new policy is unfair, but they couldn't be more wrong. This issue has gone unresolved for long enough. We offer no apologies for enforcing the UK border.”

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Home Secretary, Priti Patel, said: “The global migration crisis and how we tackle illegal migration requires new world-leading solutions. There are an estimated 80 million people displaced in the world and the global approach to asylum and migration is broken. 

“Existing approaches have failed and there is no single solution to tackle these problems. Change is needed because people are dying attempting to come to the UK illegally.”

Rwandan Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, Vincent Biruta said: “Rwanda is committed to international co-operation and partnership on migration, in particular the opportunities that a robust protection system as well as a comprehensive human capital investment program can create, for migrants and for development of the host country. 

“There is a global responsibility to prioritise the safety and well-being of migrants, and Rwanda welcomes this Partnership with the United Kingdom to host asylum seekers and migrants, and offer them legal pathways to residence.”

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