Rishi Sunak has said the government will appeal to the Supreme Court to overturn a ruling his plan to deport refugees to Rwanda is unlawful.
On Thursday the Court of Appeal said the prime minister’s scheme to “stop the boats” should not go ahead.
It ruled Rwanda was not a safe third country for people seeking asylum in the UK to be sent.
The prime minister said he “fundamentally” disagreed with its decision. “Rwanda is a safe country. The High Court agreed. The UNHCR have their own refugee scheme for Libyan refugees in Rwanda,” he said.
“We will now seek permission to appeal this decision to the Supreme Court.”
He added: “The policy of this government is very simple, it is this country – and your government – who should decide who comes here, not criminal gangs. And I will do whatever is necessary to make that happen.”
The Rwanda scheme has raced multiple legal challenges from campaign groups and individual refugees.
Last year the High Court dismissed attempts to block the government plan, but the charity Asylum Aid as well as individuals were give the go ahead to appeal.
In its ruling on Thursday, the Court of Appeal agreed with the appeal.
It said this was not because Rwanda itself was unsafe. But because there was “real risk” people deported to Rwanda from the UK would then be sent back to their home county where they faced “persecution or other inhumane treatment”.
Earlier this week it was revealed the cost of sending each individual asylum seeker to the African country will be £169,000.