UK gov intend to appeal against a European court ruling that grounded first flight taking asylum seekers to Rwanda and saying that they are “highly confident” the next plane will take off.
Up to seven people had been expected to be removed to the east African country.
But the flight was stopped after a late intervention from the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) led to fresh challenges in the UK courts.
Therese Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, said the public would be surprised that the European Court of Human Rights had overruled British judges and intervened to stop the first deportation flight to the east African country since the government announced the contentious policy in April.
Ms Coffey said ministers were disappointed by the decision, but rowed back from any suggestion that the UK might withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights, which established the court.
She added: “We’ll go back I’m sure to the ECHR to challenge this initial ruling because British judges have made the decision, said that these flights would go ahead and I still think that’s the best thing that can happen.”
The plane was waiting on a Ministry of Defence runway on Tuesday night when the European Court of Human Rights issued last-minute injunctions to stop the deportation of the migrants onboard.
English judges in the Court of Appeal had ruled on Monday that the flight could go ahead after a legal challenge by campaigners, who say the government’s plan to send some migrants to the east African country is inhumane.
