LONDON: The UK government on Wednesday insisted its one-for-one migrants deal with France would go ahead after the High Court in London blocked the planned deportation of an Eritrean migrant.
The court’s decision poses another setback to plans to stem the flow of irregular migrants crossing the Channel on small boats, as charities warn the UK-France deal will likely face several legal challenges.
“This is one person, it is not going to undermine the fundamental basis of this deal,” government minister Liz Kendall told Times Radio, after the Eritrean, who was scheduled to be flown to France on Wednesday morning, won an 11th-hour reprieve on Tuesday.
“This decision is disappointing, but it won’t prevent the rest of that deal going ahead,” added Kendall.
Lawyers for the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he faces a “real risk of destitution” if he is sent back to France and brought the case under a scheme which assesses victims of slavery and human trafficking.
