North East campaigners have added their voices to the chorus condemning "abhorrent" government plans to ship asylum seekers to Rwanda.
On Thursday, Boris Johnson announced plans to fly some people seeking safety in Britain over 6,000 miles to the central African country, forcing them to claim asylum there without the option to return to the UK. His words sparked widespread condemnation of the scheme which charities estimate could cost the UK £1.4bn.
An initial £120 million is expected to be given to the Rwandan government under a trial scheme, which is being criticised by refugee groups as a “cruel" decision that will fail to address the issue and “lead to more human suffering and chaos”. Their concerns were echoed in the North East.
