Boris Johnson blasts ‘unexpected’ criticism over Rwanda scheme after Prince Charles’ swipe as flight takes off TODAY

BORIS Johnson today blasted “unexpected” criticism of his Rwanda plan after Prince Charles and senior bishops attacked the policy.

As the first flight prepared to take off tonight, the PM told Cabinet they would not be “deterred or abashed” by the swipes.

He also accused leftie lawyers of “abetting the work of criminal gangs” for trying to block the deportations.

Campaigners are hoping to empty the plane despite yesterday’s court ruling that the flight can go ahead.

The Supreme Court chucked out a last-gasp challenge today – and will hear more this afternoon.

As little as seven migrants are now due to be deported on tonight’s flight from Boscombe Down in Wiltshire.

Taking aim at the chorus of criticism, Mr Johnson told top ministers: “I think that what the criminal gangs are doing and what those who effectively are abetting the work of the criminal gangs are doing is undermining people’s confidence in the safe and legal system, undermining people’s general acceptance of immigration.”

The Prime Minister added: “We are not going to be in any way deterred or abashed by some of the criticism that is being directed upon this policy, some of it from slightly unexpected quarters.”

Liz Truss insisted the flight will go ahead even if a just handful of people are on board.

And the Foreign Secretary warned that any illegal asylum seekers who escaped this trip will just be on the next plane.

She stared down the leftie lawyers trying to frustrate Boris Johnson’s flagship plan to deter perilous Channel crossings.

But defiant Ms Truss said: “There will be people on the flight and if they are not on this flight they will be on the next flight.”

The charter plane to the small African nation will reportedly cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Asked if it was value for money, the Foreign Secretary said “the really important thing is we establish the principle and we start to break the business model of these appalling people traffickers who are trading in misery.”

Boris Johnson has vowed to press on with his controversial plan, insisting it is vital to curb Channel crossings in rickety boats.

But the PM said the scheme was suffering “teething problems” caused by left-wing lawyers and charities.

Today the Archbishops of Canterbury and York and 23 bishops wrote an open letter to The Times calling it an “immoral policy that shames Britain”.

Ms Truss hit back today: “I don’t agree with that, the people who are immoral in this case are the people traffickers trading in human misery.

“Those people need to suggest an alternative policy that will work. Our policy is completely legal, it’s completely moral.”