Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, meanwhile, accused the UK Government of being institutionally racist.
14 April 2022
Nicola Sturgeon has said plans to process some asylum seekers in Rwanda are “despicable”, while Humza Yousaf has accused the UK Government of being institutionally racist.
Home Secretary Priti Patel is expected to sign a deal with the African nation on Thursday which would see those who cross the English Channel in small boats flown to Rwanda to have their claims processed.
Refugee charities and Labour have already condemned the plan, with shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper saying it is “unworkable, unethical and extortionate”.
Addressing the proposals on Twitter, Scottish First Minister Ms Sturgeon said: “A despicable policy on its own terms.
UK Govt rightly provides asylum and refuge to Ukrainians fleeing war, but wants to send others seeking asylum thousands of miles away to Rwanda for “processing” – and you still question whether this heartless Tory Govt is institutionally racist?
— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) April 14, 2022
“But add the fact that it’s being set out today to distract from #partygate and you see the utter moral bankruptcy of this Tory government laid bare. Shameful.”
Scottish Health Secretary Mr Yousaf tweeted: “UK Govt rightly provides asylum and refuge to Ukrainians fleeing war, but wants to send others seeking asylum thousands of miles away to Rwanda for ‘processing’ – and you still question whether this heartless Tory Govt is institutionally racist?”
Ian Blackford, the SNP’s Westminster leader, described the UK Government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as “evil”.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s just chilling, absolutely chilling, to think that people who are coming here for a whole host of reasons – vulnerable people – are going to be taken all the way to Africa to be processed.
“This is not the mark of a civilised society. It’s evil.
“It just turns my stomach to see that our Government acting in our name can behave in such a way, and I think a lot of people are going to be quite aghast.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton also attacked the plans.
He tweeted on Wednesday night: “This is horrific. A dog whistle to the hard right from a Tory government in its death throes.”
