Hypocrisy row over plan to send failed asylum seekers to 'return hubs' (2025)

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Labour has been accused of ‘total hypocrisy’ after hatching plans to send failed asylum seekers to ‘return hubs’ overseas.

Conservatives responded with fury to reports that ministers could pay countries in the Balkans to take Britain’s failed asylum seekers – comparing it to the Rwanda scheme which Sir Keir Starmer scrapped.

The United Nations’ refugee agency has endorsed the ‘return hubs’ after discussing the plans in a meeting with Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

The UNHCR has set out how returns hubs could work while meeting its legal standards in a document published this week.

A government source told the Times that the UNHCR’s support gave ministers a big boost in pressing ahead with the plans.

Shadow Home Office minister Matt Vickers said: ‘Labour’s latest shift towards “return hubs” shows they’ve realised the mess they created by cancelling the Rwanda deterrent the Conservatives had in place. It’s total hypocrisy.

‘But while Labour play catch-up, illegal crossings continue to soar to its highest levels ultimately burdening the British taxpayer.’

A total of 9,099 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year. More than 700 migrants crossed on Tuesday, in the highest number of arrivals on a single day this year.

The Rwanda scheme was first developed under Boris Johnson’s premiership and then progressed by Rishi Sunak. It aimed to see illegal migrants and asylum seekers sent to Rwanda for processing and resettlement.

Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly attacked the Rwanda scheme during the election campaign, and cancelled it as one of his first acts in office. He pledged to ‘smash the gangs’ smuggling people across borders instead.

Mr Vickers said: ‘The UNHCR’s involvement in return hubs shows Labour are now scrambling to find solutions they should’ve implemented months ago.

‘Labour must stop dithering and urgently reinstate the Rwanda removals scheme to secure our borders.’

A Tory source added: ‘How is it that Labour could say Rwanda was awful but this is fine?

‘The Home Secretary seems to have gone on a journey. We just got there first.’

The UNHCR said returns hubs could ‘appropriately be explored’ and could play a role in supporting countries to use them as long as it does not conflict with its mandate to protect refugees.

The agency recommended monitoring to make sure human rights standards are ‘reliably met’. The hosting country would have to make sure there are ‘adequate accommodation and reception arrangements’.

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