In a significant blow to the UK government, the Supreme Court has unanimously ruled against the plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda , deeming the policy unlawful and unsafe for refugees. 

The ruling effectively blocks Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's flagship policy, which aimed to have asylum-seekers' claims processed in Rwanda, with those granted asylum staying in the African country rather than returning to the UK.

The court's decision comes after a series of legal challenges and a Court of Appeal ruling that concluded Rwanda was not safe for refugees, citing concerns about the risk of ill-treatment and human rights breaches. This ruling has left the government's immigration policy in disarray , prompting the need for a reconsideration of the plan3 .

The Rwanda asylum policy was introduced in response to the increasing number of perilous small boat crossings made by asylum seekers across the English Channel, with the government aiming to tackle this issue by outsourcing the processing of asylum claims to Rwanda .

The decision has also sparked political ramifications, as it comes at a tumultuous time for the Sunak government, following the dismissal of the former home secretary, Suella Braverman, who spearheaded the Rwanda plan and released a scathing letter accusing the prime minister of "betrayal" over the government's immigration policies.