Suella Braverman praises £25,000 houses for asylum seekers in Rwanda

‘I might need some advice!’: Suella Braverman jokes about getting the name of the interior designer behind ‘beautiful haven’ £25,000 Rwandan homes as she tours the properties earmarked to house asylum seekers deported from Britain

Suella Braverman toured a £25,000 house in Rwanda earmarked for migrants
She told the Rwandan minister Claudette Irere the interior was ‘beautiful’

Suella Braverman today toured a £25,000 house in Rwanda which is earmarked for Channel boat migrants in her controversial deportation scheme – praising the small property’s interiors as ‘beautiful’ as she aims to promote the plan.

The Home Secretary arrived in the African country yesterday to double-down on her commitment to the £140m deal, which she claimed would be a ‘powerful deterrent’ against illegal crossings but has struggled to get off the ground.

Ms Braverman took a look inside a two-bedroom new build which is planned to house migrants being deported from Britain and seemed impressed with the housing, the cheapest of which costs around £14,000.

She toured the home with the Rwandan minister Claudette Irere, and said while she looked around: ‘These houses are really beautiful, great quality, really welcoming and I really like your interior designer.

‘I need some advice for myself,’ Ms Braverman revealed, likely referring to her own home in Hampshire.

Suella Braverman today toured a £25,000 house in Rwanda which is earmarked for Channel boat migrants in her controversial deportation scheme

The Home Secretary admired the homes with Rwandan minister Claudette Irere. Ms Braverman said: ‘These houses are really beautiful, great quality, really welcoming and I really like your interior designer’

Ms Braverman’s visit is her first since taking the Cabinet role after her predecessor Priti Patel signed the agreement in April last year.

The affordable housing she visited is set to be offered to both Rwandans and asylum seekers, with around 25 per cent of the off-plan structures having already been privately bought.

However, a number of media outlets, including the Freedom from Torture charity have criticised the publicly-funded visit, labelling it a ‘showboat trip’ after the Independent said outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian and Daily Mirror were not invited.

Doubling down on her commitment to the policy, Ms Braverman said: ‘The UK-Rwanda Migration and Economic Development Partnership is a ground-breaking approach that will act as a powerful deterrent against dangerous and illegal journeys such as small boat crossings.

‘It will also support people to rebuild their lives in a new country, and provide a boost to Rwanda’s fast-growing economy through a significant investment in jobs, skills, and opportunities.

‘I am visiting Rwanda this weekend to reinforce the Government’s commitment to the partnership as part of our plan to stop the boats and discuss plans to operationalise our agreement shortly.’

Ms Braverman also hit back at critics of the deal, saying Rwanda can hold ‘many thousands’ of migrants – although none have yet been relocated.

She said: ‘The suggestion that Rwanda can only take 200 people is a completely false narrative peddled by critics who want to scrap the deal.

Suella Braverman today toured buildings in Rwanda where Channel boat migrants may be held under her controversial deportation scheme

Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours a building site on the outskirts of Kigali during her visit to Rwanda

Home Secretary Suella Braverman tours a building site on the outskirts of Kigali during her visit to Rwanda, to see houses that are being constructed that could eventually house deported migrants from the UK

Ms Braverman was given a first-hand look at where migrants deported from the UK could be held

‘Rwanda has the capacity to resettle many thousands of people, and can quickly stand up accommodation once flights begin.’

During her trip, the Home Secretary is due to meet President Paul Kagame and her counterpart Vincent Biruta to discuss the deal.

‘We will discuss all aspects of the partnership, which is not just about deterring illegal and dangerous journeys to the UK, but about ensuring those genuinely in need of protection are supported to build a new life in Rwanda,’ Ms Braverman said.

She is also due to speak with those leading on accommodation projects to house migrants as well as speak with refugees who have settled in the country.

Ms Braverman will meet with investment start-up professionals and entrepreneurs, to discuss the range of business and employment opportunities available in Rwanda.

The Home Secretary looks over a balcony during her tour of facilities on the outskirts of Kigali

Home Secretary, Suella Braverman meets graduate builders in Kigali, Rwanda, who will be helping to construct houses that could house deported migrants from the UK

Home Secretary Suella Braverman visits Bwiza Riverside Houses in Kigali, Rwanda

The Home Secretary doubled down on her commitment to the £140m deal, which she claimed would be a ‘powerful deterrent’ against illegal crossings

The Desir Resort Hotel in Kigali, where it is believed migrants from the UK are expected to be taken when they arrive

Continuing to detail her support for the plan, she said: ‘Within three to six months, the Rwandan government will ensure that migrants are housed and integrated into local communities.

‘I am looking forward to seeing some of the new, modern housing developments being built in Kigali, which will be used to house some of those resettled in Rwanda.’

The government’s plan to forcibly remove migrants to the African nation is currently grounded by the courts – with asylum seekers being told on Tuesday they could appeal against Home Office decisions to relocate them.

A group of individuals from countries including Iran, Iraq and Syria are aiming to overturn rulings made by two High Court judges in December – who dismissed a series of legal bids against the Government’s plan.

After details emerged of the Home Secretary’s trip to Rwanda, Sonya Sceats, chief executive at Freedom from Torture, described the policy as a ‘cash-for-humans’ scheme.

She said: ‘Braverman is jetting off on a showboat trip to Rwanda the very week that the Court of Appeal has accepted that there are serious questions to be answered over the legality of this Government’s cash-for-humans scheme.

‘Following the outpouring of support for Gary Lineker and his compassionate stand on behalf of refugees, this Government knows it is on the back foot and is once again ramping up the cruelty to distract from their own failures.

‘Rather than pushing through this inhumane and unworkable policy, ministers should focus on establishing safe routes to the UK and tackling the unacceptable backlog of asylum claims, so people fleeing war and persecution can rebuild their lives with dignity.’

No migrants have been relocated to the country so far as the deal, which was signed last April by Ms Braverman’s predecessor Priti Patel, remains embroiled in legal battles.

During her visit, the Government reported that 209 people had crossed the Channel in small boats on Friday, after five days of no reported crossings.

On Saturday, one refugee living in Rwanda told reporters he had ‘never felt I have been considered as a foreigner’, but said he did not see the African nation having the capacity to hold ‘many thousands’ of migrants.

Fesseha Teame, 48, who has a wife and four children, was speaking after Ms Braverman claimed: ‘Rwanda has the capacity to resettle many thousands of people, and can quickly stand up accommodation once flights begin.’

The Home Secretary also said the suggestion that Rwanda could only take 200 people is a ‘completely false narrative peddled by critics who want to scrap the deal’.

Ahead of her trip, the Home Secretary said the plan ‘will act as a powerful deterrent against dangerous and illegal journeys’.

On Saturday morning, Ms Braverman was given a tour of housing on the Riverside Estate, which could provide long-term homes to migrants after the land was purchased by the Rwandan government.

The properties, with the cheapest costing around £14,000 for any potential buyers, have capacity for off-street parking, gardens and fibre-optic broadband, according to Hassan Hassan, the general manager of the construction firm that built them.

Migrants arriving from the UK would be housed in hostels and hotels in the short-term.

During her trip, she will also meet with investment start-up professionals and entrepreneurs, to discuss the range of business and employment opportunities available in Rwanda.

The Government’s plan to forcibly remove migrants to the African nation is currently grounded by the courts – with asylum seekers being told on Tuesday they could appeal against Home Office decisions to relocate them.

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