“If it turns out the USA is using the hotels we paid for, that will simply underline Starmer’s stupidity,” fumed Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp.
Keir Starmer’s decision to axe the UK’s Rwanda migrant plan is under fire again as Donald Trump eyes using the very same facilities for America’s deportees.
Brit taxpayers forked out £700million on the Rwanda removals plan but just as it was ready to launch, Labour scrapped it the minute they took office.
Now, in a bitter twist, it could be Trump, not the UK, who ends up using the luxury Rwandan sites built and paid for by British money.
“If it turns out the USA is using the hotels we paid for, that will simply underline Starmer’s stupidity,” fumed Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp.
The Rwandan government confirmed talks with the Trump administration are under way, with deportees from the US potentially being housed in UK-funded accommodation.
“Those are details that will be discussed at an appropriate time,” a senior Rwandan official told The Telegraph.
Hope Hostel in Kigali, once primed to receive UK-bound migrants, is among the sites now potentially up for grabs by America.
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said on Sunday: “This aligns with our broader policy of offering second chances to migrants facing challenges in various parts of the world… talks are at an advanced stage.”
It’s another slap in the face for British taxpayers after Labour scrapped the deal, calling it inhumane despite its aim to deter dangerous Channel crossings.
Suella Braverman slammed Labour’s decision, calling it “scandalous”.
“The Rwanda deal would have stopped the boats, secured our borders, and kept our country safe,” the former Home Secretary blasted.
“Thanks to Labour’s surrender, the US will now benefit while the British people continue to suffer.
“While the number of illegal arrivals into the US plummets, it soars in the UK. President Trump appears to be teaching Keir Starmer what border control looks like.”
Labour’s Yvette Cooper, now Home Secretary, called the scheme a “waste” but the new Border Security Command launched in its place has so far failed to stop record crossings. They have actually increased.
Philp warned: “In 2025, Starmer has presided over the highest number of illegal migrants crossing the Channel ever. The US has the right idea. We should restart our removals scheme immediately.”
The UK’s doomed scheme saw:
- £290m handed to Rwanda
- Flights blocked at the last minute by lefty lawyers
- £318m on asylum facilities and development
- Over 1,000 civil servants working on a plan that never launched
Meanwhile, Trump’s immigration crackdown is already in full swing — with 139,000 deportations this year and illegal entry into the US down 95%.
And America’s deal with El Salvador, which houses deportees in its notorious Terrorism Confinement Centre, is seen as a model for Rwanda.
A US State Department spokesman said: “US partners and regional leaders are working closely with us to end the crisis of illegal and mass migration.”
Even Germany has floated using Rwanda to handle migrants, suggesting the UK may have been on the right track all along — before Labour binned it.
Philp added: “The only way to stop illegal migration is to remove illegal immigrants to a third country. Many other jurisdictions including Germany and now the US have realised that.”
Main image: For illustration purposes only. Image created on AI.
