In a stinging rebuke to his own party, former Conservative Prime Minister Sir John Major has publicly denounced the controversial policy of deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda, branding it “un-Conservative, un-British, un-Christian, and unconscionable.”
The Rwanda deportation plan, first introduced by Boris Johnson’s government in 2022, aimed to deter illegal crossings of the English Channel by sending asylum seekers arriving in the UK to the East African nation. The policy has been a significant point of contention, dividing public opinion and raising concerns over human rights and international legal obligations.
Speaking to the BBC’s Amol Rajan, Sir John Major delivered a harsh critique of the scheme, comparing it to a bygone era of British history when convicts were forcibly transported to Australia. He stated: “We used to transport people nearly 300 years ago from our country. Felons, who at least had a trial, and been found guilty of something, albeit that the trial might have been cursory. I don’t think transportation, for that is what it is, is a policy suitable for the 21st century.”
The former prime minister expressed disbelief over the government’s claims that the mere prospect of deportation to Rwanda would act as a deterrent to those contemplating dangerous crossings from France in small boats. “Are they seriously saying to me that somewhere in the backwoods of some North African country, they actually know what the British parliament has legislated for? I think not,” Major remarked. “I absolutely think that is not the case.”
A Policy Mired in Controversy
Since its inception, the Rwanda scheme has been embroiled in legal challenges, public protests, and international condemnation. Although championed by Boris Johnson and later Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the policy never saw a single deportation successfully carried out. In fact, the plan faced a series of setbacks in UK courts, which raised questions over its compatibility with human rights laws.
Despite these challenges, the Conservative government remained adamant that the policy would serve as a strong deterrent against illegal immigration. Critics, however, viewed the plan as a drastic and inhumane measure, designed more for political posturing than practical effect.
By the time of the general election in July 2024, which saw the Conservatives ousted from power, the Rwanda scheme had yet to be implemented fully. The Labour government, under Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has indicated that it will review the policy, with a likelihood of scrapping it altogether.
A Moral and Political Question
For Sir John Major, the issue transcends mere policy disagreements. His critique strikes at the very moral foundations of the Conservative Party and its values. “I thought it was un-Conservative, un-British, and if one dares say in a secular society, un-Christian,” he told the BBC.
Major’s comments reflect a broader unease among traditional Conservatives about the party’s direction in recent years. For many, the Rwanda scheme represents a departure from the party’s historical emphasis on individual liberty, compassion, and pragmatic governance.
Lessons from the Past
Major’s reference to the transportation of criminals to Australia highlights a historical parallel that he believes should serve as a cautionary tale. Between 1787 and 1868, Britain transported over 160,000 convicts to penal colonies in Australia. The policy, which at the time was seen as a solution to overcrowded prisons, is now viewed by many as a dark chapter in British history.
“Felons were at least given a trial,” Major pointed out, emphasising the stark difference between those historical deportations and the modern-day treatment of asylum seekers, many of whom are fleeing war, persecution, and violence.
For Major, the use of deportation as a tool to manage migration is not only outdated but also fundamentally at odds with the values that should underpin British society. “This is really not the way to treat people,” he said.
The Future of the Conservative Party
In addition to his criticism of the Rwanda plan, Sir John Major issued a warning to his party about the dangers of shifting too far to the right. He urged Conservative leaders to resist any temptation to align themselves with the hard-right Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage.
“The only party that can legitimately appeal to the centre-right is the Conservative Party,” Major argued. He warned that merging with or mimicking Reform UK would be “fatal” for the Tories, as the party’s traditional base lies in the centre-right.
“We lost the vote on the left, more than on the right,” Major explained, pointing to the significant number of voters who defected to Labour and the Liberal Democrats in the recent election. He emphasised the need for the Conservatives to rebuild their support by returning to their core values of pragmatism, moderation, and common sense.
Despite the heavy losses suffered by the party in July, Major remains optimistic about its future. “I do think traditionally we have been a common sense party,” he said. “I’m optimistic. I think we have had such a bad defeat, we have got a base upon which we can build, in a wholly new and, I think, potentially effective way.”
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