Boris Johnson praised the ‘obvious merits’ of his Rwanda deportation plan for migrants today, but made an uncomfortable truce with Prince Charles ahead of a meeting tomorrow.
The Prime Minister and the heir to the throne were set to clash after accusations that he personally rejected the government’s ‘appalling’ scheme.
After arriving in Kigali for a Commonwealth summit this morning, Mr Johnson suggested that critics have a ‘open mind’ and that he would express his thoughts to Charles over a cup of tea.
However, both sides made it plain this afternoon that the subject is not likely to come up in the conversations after all. Instead, the two will concentrate on the issues confronting the alliance of nations.
Speaking during a visit to a school in the Rwandan capital earlier, Mr Johnson said: ‘People need to keep an open mind about the policy, the critics need to keep an open mind about the policy.
‘A lot of people can see its obvious merits. So yeah, of course, if I am seeing the prince tomorrow, I am going to be making that point.’
Downing Street stated this afternoon that Mr Johnson’s migrant policy will not be “in the forefront” of his mind during the talks.
‘I’m not going to be over-prescriptive over what the PM will say in any meeting, that includes this one. The Prime Minister’s focus remains on some of the important challenges on the future of Commonwealth, on climate change, on girls’ education.’
Pressed on whether he will raise the asylum policy, he said: ‘It’s unlikely and I’m only not being categorical because it’s simply as a matter of course I do not rule in or out any topic when two individuals meet.’
The Prince of Wales toured exhibition stands today and chatted to delegates during a visit to the Commonwealth Business Forum Exhibition in Rwanda.
Charles was joined by Clare Akamanzi, chief executive officer of the Rwanda Development Board, and Jeremy Cross, Prince’s Foundation international director, as he was guided round the Kigali Cultural Exhibition Village.
Mr Johnson said this morning that had spoken to the Rwandan president about the UK’s controversial asylum policy: ‘I just had a great talk with Paul Kagame.
‘He cares passionately about this. He has himself been a refugee for a long time. He knows what it is like. He sees the problem of vulnerable people being trafficked across the Channel and being trafficked around the world.
‘He sees this as an opportunity to fix what is an increasing global problem, by a partnership between the UK and Rwanda.
‘It is not just about migration.
He continued: ‘It is about education, it is about trade, it is about all sorts of things, it is about green technology, financial services, all sorts of areas. It is a partnership that is growing.’
Mr Johnson accused critics of the strategy of basing their reservations on “a perception, perhaps a stereotype of Rwanda that is now outdated.”
He emphasized that the approach had not been declared illegal by any UK or Strasbourg court.
‘We are just going to keep going,’ he said.
He urged those who were concerned to “think about the way these two countries can work together to solve what is a very complex problem of illegal people-trafficking.”
According to Downing Street, Mr. Johnson and Mr. Kagame agreed that the stalled asylum policy can help fight smuggling gangs.
A No 10 spokesman said: ‘The leaders also praised the successful UK-Rwanda migration and economic development partnership, which is tackling dangerous smuggling gangs while offering people a chance to build a new life in a safe country.’
Mr Johnson was also grilled on the Rwanda policy as he prepared to fly to Kigali, and said the trip is an opportunity ‘for us all to understand for ourselves what that partnership has to offer’.
He said it might ‘help others to shed some of their condescending attitudes to Rwanda and how that partnership might work’.
Pushed on whether he will tell the prince he is wrong, Mr Johnson said: ‘I have no evidence for the assertion you’ve just made about the prince’s comments. I can’t confirm that.
‘What I can say is that the policy is sensible, measured and a plan to deal with the grotesque abuse of innocent people crossing the Channel.’
Mr Johnson is not intending to visit the accommodation in Kigali where migrants who arrive by unauthorised means would be deported to.
‘You will know that the Prime Minister’s time is always limited and to make time to do that he would therefore have to leave elements of the programme whereby he’s working with a unique set of world leaders on quite crucial issues,’ his spokesman said.
‘We think that the best use of his time for this short period he’s in Rwanda is to dedicate himself to some of the issues that will be raised at the summit and to work with other world leaders on some of those issues we’ve talked about, not least Ukraine and global security.’
The first flight to Rwanda was scheduled to take off last week, but it was canceled due to successful legal challenges ahead of a full hearing on the scheme’s constitutionality in UK courts.
The strategy is part of a £120 million commercial agreement with Kigali, but it has been heavily condemned, in part due to worries over Rwanda’s human rights record.
Despite the fact that the arrangement was struck two months ago, Mr Johnson stated that he would arrive there before any asylum seekers.
‘I’m conscious that I’m arriving before anybody who has travelled illegally across the Channel, I cannot conceal that fact from you – there it is – but it is still the case that no UK court and no international court has ruled our plan unlawful,’ he said.