Campaigners Target Rishi Sunak's Office Over 'Vindictive' Immigration Plans

Campaigners have put a blue plaque outside Rishi Sunak’s constituency office accusing him of “closing the door” on refugees.

The Freedom from Torture group targeted the prime minister’s base in Richmond, north Yorkshire, as the government’s Illegal Migration Bill returns to the Commons.

It follows a similar stunt in May when they put another plaque outside the office of home secretary Suella Braverman.

Under the government’s plans, asylum seekers would be removed to a “safe” third country, such as Rwanda, and banned from returning to the UK.

Sunak has also pledged to “stop the boats” carrying migrants across the Channel from France.

Freedom from Torture’s plaque outside the PM’s office accuses him of being on the “wrong side of history”.

It says: “Rishi Sunak closed the door on people seeking safety in their hour of greatest need.”

Freedom from Torture chief executive Sonya Sceats said: “Rishi Sunak’s refugee ban bill is nothing but vindictive and dysfunctional.

“The government continues to dial up the cruelty against people fleeing torture and war to distract from the failings of their own making. But compassion and reason are winning. 

“In the last few weeks, the government have suffered major blows with the Court of Appeal ruling it’s immoral Rwanda scheme is unlawful, and key defeats to their cruel bill in the House of Lords.

“The proposals in this bill will do nothing to reduce the number of deaths, it will just lead to many more people, including torture survivors, being unfairly denied protection.

“Instead of punishing people who have already been through so much, this Government should concentrate on rebuilding an asylum system that treats people with humanity and compassion.”