Asylum seeker removal flight to go ahead despite last-minute court action

Home Office says up to 20 people who came to UK on small boats will be sent to mainland Europe

A charter flight to remove asylum seekers who recently arrived in the UK on small boats is due to take off despite last-minute high court actions in the early hours of Wednesday morning and other interventions which have led to at least 19 people not boarding the plane.

The Home Office said up to 20 people would be placed on the charter flight destined for France and Germany. The Guardian knows of 19 who either had their removal directions deferred by the Home Office or stayed by the high court a few hours ago, or who believed they would be on the flight but then found out that the Home Office had never set removal directions for them.

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