UK threatens to ban Eritreans over returns policy

Move comes after east African country abruptly withdrew returns cooperation earlier this year

Shabana Mahmood has been accused of launching a perfunctory political gimmick" by the Eritrean government in a row over the return of rejected asylum seekers and criminals.

After the home secretary threatened to block all Eritreans from entering the UK unless a returns deal was agreed, the country's embassy claimed the UK had failed to engaged in meaningful and appropriate" dialogue.