Boris Johnson has hit back at Prince Charles after the heir to the throne criticised the government’s plan to deport illegal immigrants to Rwanda.
The Prince of Wales reportedly said the policy was “appalling”.
A source told The Times: “He said he was more than disappointed at the policy. He said he thinks the government’s whole approach is appalling. It was clear he was not impressed with the government’s direction of travel.”
His comments emerged as the High Court rejected legal attempts to prevent the first flights taking asylum seekers more than 4,000 miles to the west African country.
On LBC radio this morning, the prime minister said the government wanted to break the business model of the criminal gangs who send immigrants across the English Channel from France to the UK on small boats.
Asked why he knew better than the prince, the prime minister said: “I’ve answered that in the sense that I do think it’s the job of government to stop people breaking the law and to support people who are doing the right thing.”
Johnson’s comments came as the High Court prepares to hear appeals against its ruling in favour of the deportation flights last Friday. The first flight is due to take off tomorrow.
Prince Charles is not the only high-profile figure to criticise the government’s plan.
In his Easter sermon, the Archbishop of Canterbury said it “cannot stand up to the judgment of God”.
He said: “Sub-contracting out our responsibilities, even to a country that seeks to do well like Rwanda, is the opposite of the nature of God who himself took responsibility for our failures.”
And at the weekend, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Glasgow, said the controversial policy was “morally wrong”.