Nigel Farage believes the drop in migrants crossing the English Channel in recent days is not linked to the Government’s new immigration scheme with Rwanda.
While some people have claimed that the drop was down to migrants being worried about the prospect of being shipped to the African country for processing, Farage thinks that adverse weather conditions are in fact the actual reason.
Speaking on GB News, the former Brexit Party leader said: “Do you remember the plans we were told; it’s all going to be sorted in the Channel, we’ve got a plan to push back the migrant dinghys.
“And we saw a few months ago, examples of border force out there with their own inflatable ribs, even with jet skis.
Nigel Farage
GB News
“And the idea was that they turn the migrant dinghys around and they’d all happily sail back to the beaches of Dunkirk, Calais or elsewhere.
“It was never going to work, it was never practical in any way at all.
“And I’m afraid just ahead of a judicial review which was due to take place in a high court, which probably the Government would’ve lost given that we still have European Court of Human Rights on our law book under the Human Rights Act, it’s been scrapped so no more push backs.”
He continued: “What we will see is whether Rwanda works and there are some saying Rwanda is working, it’s a success because virtually no migrants have come now for the last six or seven days.
A group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent
Gareth Fuller
“Believe you me, I know this subject, that is nothing to do with the prospect of being shipped off to Rwanda.
“It’s because there has been a persistent, strong, north-easterly wind in the English Channel.
“When it gets calm again, the boats will continue to come.”
His comments come just days after several Dunkirk refugees said they were not phased by the Rwanda scheme.
One migrant, called Barzan, said: “I don’t think it’s true that they’re going to send everyone to Rwanda. There will be more than 10,000 this year. Rwanda doesn’t have the space.”
While Mohamed Ali, 17, said the deal was “a big problem” but insisted: “If they take me to Rwanda I’ll come back.”
Even migrants leaving countries bordering Rwanda are willing to take the risk.
When asked what he would do if he was sent to Rwanda, Omar Deaja, 17, from Burundi told The Times: “I would kill myself (because) there is no work, no money to pay for school, no life.
“I want to be a lawyer to help people suffering because I know how it feels to be hungry and feel cold outside. Most people just see on the news and think we are coming to make money. But I left Burundi because I had no family, nothing."