THE Tories’ “gruesome” plans to send refugees to Rwanda are against their own manifesto promises, it has been claimed.
Home Secretary Priti Patel’s immigration reforms have been branded only inhumane but one of “an ever-growing list of broken Tory promises”.
The Tories’ 2019 manifesto pledged to “continue to grant asylum and support to refugees fleeing persecution, with the ultimate aim of helping them to return home if it is safe to do so” but made no mention of the plans to fly migrants to central Africa.
READ MORE: Priti Patel accuses SNP of 'slur' against Rwanda after refugee plan questions
Ministers are anticipating multiple legal challenges over the plans which have been criticised as “pandering to the far right”.
Now they have been accused of misleading voters over the plans, which were not included in their pre-election promises.
Stuart McDonald, the SNP’s home affairs spokesperson, said: “The 2019 Tory manifesto contained a commitment to protecting refugees and granting asylum to those facing persecution and oppression, it made no mention of off-shoring or off-loading responsibility onto developing countries to which they have absolutely no connection.
READ MORE: Rwanda plans are 'pandering to far right' as fears raised refugee safety NOT guaranteed
“By riding roughshod over the refugee convention, and their own manifesto promises, it seems clear that the latest victims of an ever-growing list of broken Tory promises appear to be the people they once pledged to protect - people fleeing unimaginable horrors and persecution.
“Not only was the gruesome Nationality and Borders bill not in the Tory manifesto, its aims are positively contrary to it and the promises it makes.
“The UK has clear humanitarian responsibilities which it should fulfil – the Tories simply should not be criminalising those to whom we owe support and security, in breach of international law”.
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