Successive conservative governments squandered upwards of £700 million ($900 million) on an ill-advised plan to deport failed asylum seekers to Central Africa for processing and resettlement. The scheme, promptly cancelled by the new Labour government, saw just four people leave the UK for Rwanda. They did so voluntarily and were handed £3,000 in cash to help fund their new life in Africa. On Monday, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper informed Parliament that the deportation plan had cost much more than previously thought: “It’s the most shocking waste of taxpayers’ money I’ve ever seen,” she told lawmakers. Mrs Cooper also revealed that her predecessor failed to properly inform Parliament of the policy’s total costs which according to Home Office numbers could have ballooned to £10 billion over the next six years.