Mid Devon MP and Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride has recently commented on the failed deportation scheme, days after it was revealed that it had cost taxpayers £715 million.

The Conservative MP claimed that that the scheme to deport illegal immigrants from the UK to the east African country failed to work because it was scrapped by the new Labour government in their first week in the office.

Speaking at a press gallery lunch in Westminster, Mr Stride said: “On illegal migration, there needs to be a clear deterrent with regards to small boats coming over here and that is the bit I believe this government is missing.

“Of course, Keir Starmer is very quick to say you’ve spent X million pounds and you only got a small number of people over.

“The reality is, the reason why there were only a small number of people going to Rwanda was because the policy was scrapped.”

A breakdown of the costs published by the Home Office show that £290 million was paid to Rwanda’s government, £50 million on flights, escorting, airfield preparations and police. The Home Office also spent £95m on detention and reception centres over a period between 2022 and June 2024.

Other spending, included setting up new IT systems, legal costs, and staffing, added up to £280m.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the Commons in July 2024 that four people travelled to Rwanda voluntarily under the scheme.

The Rwanda scheme was announced two years ago by then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

On Tuesday, December 3, Home Office data showed that 20,000 migrants made the journey across the English Channel since Labour arrived in the office in July.

There were 50,637 arrivals under Rishi Sunak’s government, which began in October 2022.