Here's what UK newspapers made of the government's Rwanda plan for asylum seekers

Boris Johnson and Priti Patel have set out widely criticised plans to fly migrants who cross the Channel in small boats more than 4,000 miles to Rwanda.

Announced yesterday, the scheme comes as the home secretary has come under sustained pressure to stop asylum seekers making the perilous journeys.

It comes as the prime minister battles to hold on to his job after being fined by police for breaching his own coronavirus laws. The fixed penalty notice in Johnson’s name means he has made history as the first prime minister to break the law.

This morning’s front pages are awash with eye-catching headlines about the government’s Rwanda plans - most of them critical.

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The Independent led with a headline reading: “UK’s warning to Rwanda on human rights before signing asylum deal”.

The lead story, written by Social Affairs Correspondent May Bulman, highlighted how the UK previously condemned Rwanda’s human rights record.

The i paper’s splash reads: “Patel faces legal battle over ‘cruel’ Rwanda plan”.

The Times went with the angle that Johnson want to see the first migrants sent to Rwanda in roughly six weeks. The report estimates that each migrant sent to Rwanda will cost the taxpayer between £20,000 and £30,000.

“Rwanda asylum seekers plan branded ‘inhumane’” is written across the front page of The Guardian this morning. The paper’s report led with how the plan has been condemned, and highlighted that some critics of the scheme have warned that it could result in more deaths in the Channel.

The Mirror didn’t pull any punches, leading with a high-impact headline: “Inhumane… and it won’t work”. The stap adds: “Fury at Johnson’s ‘nasty’ plan… that’s impractical and will cost a fortune”. The accompanying picture shows a group of people wearing life jackets, including a child, along with the caption: “Desperate - Dover refugees yesterday”.

The Daily Mail’s splash reads: “PM: I won’t let the left wreck Rwanda plan”. Below it, in a bright red box, the paper invited readers to turn to page six to read about the “complete blueprint” of “Boris’s migrant revolution”.

“No migrant boat will go undetected”, The Express led with. The headline is a quote from the prime minister in which he outlined how new patrols would ensure no boats “[make] it to the UK undetected”.

Meanwhile, a few papers instead led with different stories.

The Sun splashed a story about the Sussexes’s visit to Windsor, whilst the Telegraph’s main story was about how a Brit in the Ukrainian army was “paraded on Russian television” and appeared to have been beaten.

Never disappointing in the headline department is the Daily Star, which splashed: “I may be a wrong ‘un but it’s OK because I’ve said soz”. Above it, bright red copy reads: “Get-out-of-jail-free rosette for all dodgepots from the actual home secretary”.

The paper’s splash shows a selection of pictures from Partygate as well as snaps of wine and cheese. A small snippet of copy from Kate Nelson’s report reads: “Home Secretary Priti Patel - whose job is to uphold the law - says we should all forgive law-breakers if they’ve said sorry. Priceless.”

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