The UK government’s proposed legislation to send asylum seekers to Rwanda has survived a rebellion by some members of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party, but it still faces challenges to make it through Parliament. The bill received 313 votes for and 269 against in its first Commons vote, with no Conservative MPs voting against it, although some on the right of the party abstained. However, the vote was only the initial hurdle, with further hurdles to come in the new year.
The scheme is intended to deter refugees from making the treacherous journey across the English Channel in small dinghies, a key priority for Sunak’s administration. To be successful, it must overcome challenges from both right and centrist factions. The former argues the legislation is too weak to prevent legal challenges to deportation, while the latter claims they will oppose any future amendments that would result in the government breaching international law.
The bill seeks to establish Rwanda as a safe country to send asylum seekers to after the UK’s Supreme Court ruled such deportations were illegal last year. A spokesperson from Sunak’s team said the bill was the toughest legislation ever introduced to Parliament, adding that it was clear that the UK’s parliament, rather than any foreign judicial body, was sovereign.
However, the Labour Party voted against the bill – along with other opposition parties – and promised to scrap the Rwanda plan if it wins the next election. The party has argued that the millions reserved for Rwanda would be better spent tackling the gangs that smuggle people into the UK. Labour’s shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, commented that “The Conservatives’ civil war is continuing, and the country is paying the price for this chaos. Today’s debate shows how weak Rishi Sunak is with this Tory psychodrama now dragging on into the new year
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