BORIS Johnson has defended the UK Government's controversial Rwanda policy after Prince Charles reportedly called the plans "appalling".
On LBC on Monday, Johnson said it was the "job of government to stop people breaking the law" and claimed it was "important we stop criminal gangs".
Johnson was himself found to have broken the law recently when he received a Fixed Penalty Notice for his attendance at a birthday party thrown for him during lockdown in June 2020.
The UK Government is planning to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda as part of a five-year trial aimed mostly at single, young migrants who arrive through "illegal, dangerous or unnecessary methods", such as on small boats or hidden in lorries.
Johnson said "anyone entering the UK illegally" since January 1 would fall under the scheme, with no limit on numbers.
Johnson told LBC's Nick Ferrari: "What we need to do is stop the criminal gangs.
“I do think it’s the job of government to stop people breaking the law and to support people who are doing the right thing."
Ferrari then asked the Prime Minister: “Would one flight justify this policy? Just one person being removed?”
Johnson replied: "I think it's very important that the criminal gangs who are putting people's lives at risk in the Channel is going to be broken – is being broken – by this Government.
"They are selling people a false hope, they are luring them into something extremely risky and criminal.
“We’ve always said we knew this policy would attract attacks from people who want to have a completely open doors approach.
“There are very active lawyers in this field. I have the utmost respect for the legal profession but it’s also important that we stop criminal gangs.”
The Court of Appeal is set to decide on Monday if the first Home Office flight can depart as scheduled on Tuesday.
Campaigners and migrants last week failed to win an injunction against the government policy in the High Court.
But the planned number of deportations has rapidly reduced, with 11 now due to fly according to the charity Care4Calais.
This includes four Iranians, two Iraqis, two Albanians and one Syrian, the charity said.
Prince Charles is said to be not impressed with the move by the UK Government especially as he is due to represent the Queen at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, later this month.
A source told the Times they had heard him expressing opposition to the policy several times in private and said he was particularly uncomfortable about it amid fears that it would overshadow the summit on June 23.
A Clarence House spokesman did not deny that Charles was opposed to the policy, but said: "We would not comment on supposed anonymous private conversations with the Prince of Wales, except to restate that he remains politically neutral.
"Matters of policy are decisions for government."
