Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called on the House of Lords to support his Rwanda asylum bill after it cleared the House of Commons with a 44-vote majority. Speaking in Downing Street, Sunak described the legislation as an urgent national priority and insisted the Conservative Party is completely united behind the plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The bill, first introduced by Boris Johnson in 2022, aims to deter migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. However, an earlier version was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court in November. Sunak stressed he wants flights to depart as soon as practically possible but declined to give a specific date when pressed by journalists.
The legislation now faces scrutiny in the Lords, where it is expected to encounter significant opposition. Former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation Lord Carlile warned the bill represents a step towards totalitarianism by attempting to place ministers above the courts. Labour's shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock described the plan as unworkable, arguing that sending only a small percentage of arrivals to Rwanda would not act as a deterrent.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticised the government for focusing on an expensive and unworkable policy rather than addressing cost-of-living issues and NHS problems. Kinnock urged the government to work with European partners to target criminal trafficking gangs instead of pursuing what he called headline-chasing gimmicks.
