ECHR ruling to ground Rwanda flights ‘disappointing’ and ‘surprising’, Patel says

A ruling from the European Court of Human Rights to ground a Home Office flight to Rwanda at the 11th hour was “disappointing” and “surprising”, Priti Patel has suggested.

The first plane taking asylum seekers from the UK to east Africa was due to depart on Tuesday evening (14 June) but never took off.

“While this decision by the Strasbourg court to intervene was disappointing and surprising, given the repeated and considered judgements to the contrary in our domestic courts, we remain committed to this policy,” Ms Patel said of the Rwanda plan.

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