Ministers suggest they STILL haven’tfound an airline to deport migrants to Rwanda despite insisting that the flights could begin ‘within weeks’ [Video]

10:30 EDT 14 Apr 2024 , updated 11:49 EDT 14 Apr 2024

Senior Tories today suggested that they have yet to find an airline to carry deported migrants to Rwanda, despite planning to begin flights within weeks.

Health Secretary Victoria Atkins insisted the Home Office is ‘ready to go’ in implementing the scheme as a Bill aimed at saving the stalled deportation policy makes its way through Parliament.

But she could not confirm in media interviews today who would operate the flights. And separately, deputy Tory Party chairwoman Rachel Maclean appeared to suggest a carrier had still not been confirmed.

Ms Maclean told Times Radio: ‘I’m sure that we will have a carrier in place … and this is all part of operationalising the plan. We need this plan because we need to have the deterrent effect.’

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has repeatedly said flights to Kigali will take off by spring, but refused to name a specific date.

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