Hundreds of contractor jobs have been lost following Labour’s decision to scrap the controversial Rwanda asylum plan, highlighting how political agendas can directly impact contracting opportunities.
According to an LBC report, 280 Home Office contractors hired to implement the deportation scheme have been made redundant. The plan, a key policy of the previous Conservative government, aimed to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing. However, it faced significant legal challenges and widespread criticism, with reports of no asylum seekers ultimately being deported.
The LBC article stated that in 2024 home secretary Yvette Cooper reported the “scheme had cost £700m even though not one asylum seeker had been removed to Rwanda.” She described the scheme as “the biggest waste of taxpayer money I have ever seen”.
How much were contractors making?
The report said the average salary for an overseas escort officer was £34,000, yet those hired to work on Rwanda flights worked very little.
A Guardian news report said the redundancies would cut the number of escorts travelling with deportees by nearly one-third.
Yet Home Office sources revealed a considerably higher number of overseas escort officers were in post compared to 2022.
Who was the recruiter?
The escorts who received the redundancy notices are employed by private government contractor company Mitie.
While Labour has called the scheme a waste of taxpayers’ money, the job losses underscore the precarious nature of contract work, particularly when tied to politically sensitive projects.
This situation serves as a reminder for UK temp workers and contractors that project stability can be influenced by factors beyond their control, including shifting political priorities and changes in government.
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