UK sends first asylum seeker to Rwanda

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP)  Britain has sent a first asylum seeker to Rwanda, British media reported on Tuesday, a week after adopting a controversial law allowing irregular migrants to be deported to the east African country.

But the man who left the UK on Monday had agreed to be sent to Kigali following his asylum rejection at the end of last year, several media said, as part of a separate and voluntary scheme.

The African national left on a commercial flight to Kigali, The Sun newspaper said.

In exchange for his agreement to leave Britain, he is due to receive up to £3,000 ($3,750), according to government sources quoted by the Times newspaper.

Contacted by Agence France-Presse, the British Home Office did not confirm the reports.

We are now able to send asylum seekers to Rwanda under our migration and economic development partnership, a government spokesperson said.

This deal allows people with no immigration status in the UK to be relocated to a safe third country where they will be supported to rebuild their lives.

The Tories hope the Rwanda expulsions plan will help them claw back some ground in the polls.

They are widely expected to suffer a drubbing at the next general election.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks government has made the fight against illegal migration a priority as it hopes to recover ground on the main opposition Labor party ahead of an expected general election later this year.

The announcement of this expulsion comes just two days before local elections in England and Wales in which the ruling Conservatives are expected to suffer major losses to Labor.

The controversial law, which has come under fire from the United Nations and rights groups, allows Britain to expel undocumented migrants to Rwanda, where they would be allowed to remain if their asylum applications are successful.

They would not be allowed to return to Britain.

Sunaks government plans to begin the expulsions by July.