GBPARLPremier Rishi Sunak defends the law in the House of Commons
NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 00:39
British Prime Minister Sunak has convinced most Conservative party members in the House of Commons to vote in favor of the controversial Rwanda law. The bill received 320 votes in favor and 276 against. Only eleven Conservatives were among those who voted against. At the beginning of December, the migration law already survived a first vote in the House of Commons.
Of Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill is intended to revive an earlier plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. This method should deter migrants who want to cross the Channel. The earlier version was blocked by the judge because Rwanda was not a safe country. Since then, the UK and Rwanda have signed a treaty aimed at guaranteeing the protection of asylum seekers.
Wednesday evening’s vote followed a rebellion by about 60 Conservatives who wanted a stricter law, with more limited appeals for asylum seekers. Two deputy party chairmen resigned their positions to join the resistance within the party.
No race run
The rebellion among the Tories would endanger the Rwanda Act, and with it Sunak’s government, which has more or less tied its political fate to the Rwanda plan. Only when one of the supporters told the members of the House of Commons that “it is this law, or no law at all”, did most of the rebellious party members give up their resistance.
This means that the race is not over for Sunak. The bill still has to pass the House of Lords, and there is a good chance that this version of the law will also be challenged in court.
Correspondent Arjen van der Horst:
“This is an important victory for Prime Minister Sunak in this election year. With this plan he wants to deter boat migrants and ‘Stop the Boats’ is one of his big election promises.
Yet it is not yet a ‘done deal’ for Sunak. Because the House of Lords is now going to consider this plan and there is still a lot of resistance. And later this year there will be a final vote in the House of Commons. And then there are the courts that will consider legality. Rwanda could also be obstructive if it believes that the deal does not comply with human rights treaties.
Whatever happens, the chances of people being put on a flight to Rwanda this year are slim and, if they do happen, they will be very few. However, this would be important for Sunak because of its symbolic value, because his party is doing poorly in the polls.”
2024-01-17 23:39:42
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