British PM Starmer says Rwanda deportation plan is 'dead and buried'

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Saturday on his first full day in office that he is scrapping a controversial Conservative policy to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda as he vowed to get change in motion, though he warned it will take time.

"The Rwanda scheme was dead and buried before it started," Starmer said in his first news conference. "It's never acted as a deterrent. Almost the opposite."

The announcement was widely expected because Starmer said he would ditch the plan that has cost hundreds of millions of dollars but never taken flight.

The news conference followed his first cabinet meeting as the new government takes on the massive challenge of fixing a heap of domestic woes and winning over a public weary from years of austerity, political chaos and a battered economy.

Starmer welcomed the new ministers around the table at 10 Downing Street, saying it had been the honour of his life to be asked by King Charles to form a government in a ceremony that officially elevated him to prime minister.

WATCH |Keir Starmer meets with King Charles after Labour election win:

Keir Starmer meets with King Charles after Labour election win

3 months ago

Duration 0:24

Keir Starmer, whose Labour Party defeated the ruling Conservatives in a general election, met with King Charles on Friday.

"We have a huge amount of work to do, so now we get on with our work," he said.

Starmer's Labour Party delivered the biggest blow to the Conservatives in their two-century history in a landslide victory on a platform of change in Thursday's election.

Among a raft of problems they face are boosting a sluggish economy, fixing a broken health-care systemand restoring trust in government.

"Just because Labour won a big landslide doesn't mean all the problems that the Conservative government has faced has gone away," said Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London.

WATCH | How the most boring person in U.K. politics just became PM | About That:

How the most boring person in U.K. politics just became PM | About That

3 months ago

Duration 10:01

'Bland', 'boring' and 'milk tray man' are a few words that have been used to describe the U.K.'s new prime minister. Keir Starmer and his Labour Party will now lead the country, which is experiencing a struggling economy and buckling public services. Andrew Chang explains how a politician widely perceived as unremarkable secured a massive majority, ending 14 years of Conservative reign.Additional credits:02:41 | Unilad/YouTube

In his first remarks as prime minister on Friday after the "kissing of hands" ceremony with Charles at Buckingham Palace, Starmer said he would get to work immediately, though he cautioned it would take some time to show results.

"Changing a country is not like flicking a switch," he said as enthusiastic supporters cheered him outside his new official residence at 10 Downing. "This will take a while. But have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately."

WATCH | Keir Starmer promises to 'reset' U.K. after 14 years of chaotic Tory rule:

Keir Starmer promises to reset U.K. after 14 years of chaotic Tory rule

3 months ago

Duration 2:43

After meeting with King Charles, Britains new Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged a national reset by bringing stability and moderation to the United Kingdom after 14 years of often-chaotic Conservative Party rule.

Starmer will have a busy schedule following the six-week campaign crossing the four nations of the U.K.

He will travel to Washington next week for a NATO meeting and will host the European Political Community summit on July 18, the day after the state opening of Parliament and the King's Speech, which sets out the new government's agenda.

Focus on border security, health care

Starmer singled out several of the big items on Friday, such as fixing the revered but hobbled National Health Service (NHS) and securing the U.K.'s borders, a reference to a larger global problem across Europe and the United Statesof absorbing an influx of migrants fleeing war, poverty, drought, heat waves and floods attributed to climate change.

Conservatives struggled to stem the flow of migrants arriving across the English Channel, failing to live up to ex-prime minister's Rishi Sunak's pledge to "stop the boats" that led to the controversial plan to deport asylum-seekers to Rwanda.

"Labour is going to need to find a solution to the small boats coming across the channel," Bale said. "It's going to ditch the Rwanda scheme, but it's going to have to come up with other solutions to deal with that particular problem."

Suella Braverman, a Conservative hardliner on immigration who is a possible contender to replace Sunak as party leader, criticized Starmer's plan to end the Rwanda pact.

"Years of hard work, acts of Parliament, millions of pounds [have] been spent on a scheme which had it been delivered properly would have worked," she said Saturday. "There are big problems on the horizon which will be I'm afraid caused by Keir Starmer."

Starmer'scabinet is also getting to work.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy was to begin his first international trip on Saturday to meet counterparts in Germany, Poland and Sweden to reinforce the importance of their relationship.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he would open new negotiations next week with NHS doctors at the start of their career who have staged a series of multi-day strikes. The pay dispute has exacerbated the long wait for appointments that have become a hallmark of the NHS's problems.