Former UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s current plans for deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda. Braverman argued that unless there is significant change to the proposed legislation, no asylum seekers face deportations before the next general election. Writing in The Telegraph, she stated that “tinkering with a failed plan” is not enough to achieve the government’s objectives.
On Wednesday, the UK’s Supreme Court declared the government’s Rwanda policy unlawful. Hours after this judgement was made, Chancellor Rishi Sunak revealed plans for new emergency legislation and a treaty with Rwanda to enable the first round of flights to leave for the country next spring.
Braverman explained that the fundamental issue with the plan is the possibility of Rwanda returning asylum seekers to countries that they have fled, thereby putting them at risk of harm. The Supreme Court ruled that those deported to Rwanda could potentially end up in a place where they would not be safe.
A bill should be introduced by Parliament’s Christmas recess, legislation subsequently needing to be debated over the holiday period and then passed in some form by the next general election, Mrs Braverman suggested. She also proposed measures to bolster the Rwandan asylum system and to ensure those who enter the UK illegally are detained until they can be removed.
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