Former UK PM Theresa May questions legality of Rwanda asylum seeker plan

Conservative former prime minister Theresa May has questioned the “legality, practicality and efficacy” of the government’s plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Ms May, often regarded as a hardliner on immigration, warned on Tuesday that the policy to send some migrants who arrive by unauthorised means 9,600 kilometres to East Africa could lead to an increase in trafficking of women and children.

Coming under much criticism in the House of Commons, Home Secretary Priti Patel said that the policy was legal.

Ms Patel said some criticism of her policy was “xenophobic” and “deeply, deeply egregious”, as she defended Rwanda amid questions over its human rights record.

Ms May, a former home secretary regarded as the architect of the “hostile environment” that played a role in the Windrush scandal, said she did not support the Rwanda plans.

She demanded evidence that “this will not simply lead to an increase in the trafficking of women and children”.

Ms Patel said the policy was legal and was needed to tackle smuggling gangs who “effectively exploit various loopholes in our existing laws”.

A child clutching a teddy steps ashore in Dover, Kent, southern England, accompanied by Border Force officers after being rescued from a small boat trying to cross the English Channel. PA
Migrants arrive at Dover on a Royal National Lifeboat Institution vessel, after being rescued while crossing the English Channel. Despite it being midwinter, migrant crossings resumed this week after a period of bad weather led to a pause. Reuters
Migrants clamber aboard a flimsy inflatable dinghy as they prepare to leave Wimereux, near Calais, north France, heading for England. Reuters
A group of people, thought to be migrants, at Dungeness lifeboat station, Kent. AP Photo
More than 26,000 people have made the dangerous journey from France to England in 2021, three times more than in 2020. In November, 27 people were drowned when a migrant boat sunk during the crossing. AP Photo
Migrants are brought in to Dungeness, Kent, by the RNLI. AP Photo
Inflatable boats, believed to have been used by migrants who crossed the English Channel from France, stored near Dover. Reuters
Migrants disembark from an RNLI lifeboat on arrival in Dover, after being picked up at sea. AFP
A group of migrants prepare to launch an overcrowded inflatable dinghy from the French coast, near Calais, heading for England. Reuters

Former international development secretary Andrew Mitchell raised “grave concerns” that the policy “simply will not work” and questioned Ms Patel on the price of the scheme.

She refused to directly answer MPs’ questions on whether there was a cap on the cost for each migrant forcibly deported, on top of the £120 million ($156m) economic deal with Rwanda.

Senior Conservative Dame Andrea Leadsom criticised as “absolutely abhorrent and inexplicable” criticism from people including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who has said the policy is “the opposite of the nature of God”.

Ms Leadsom said they had “completely forgotten the images of children lying drowned on our beaches”.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the government policy was “unworkable, unethical and extortionate in the cost for the British taxpayer”.

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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

The Details

Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5

Ticket prices

General admission Dh295 (under-three free)

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Scoreline

Syria 1-1 Australia

Syria Al Somah 85'

Australia Kruse 40'

Like a Fading Shadow

Antonio Muñoz Molina

Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez

Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)