On Tuesday, parliament will debate the UK’s controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda, testing leader Rishi Sunak’s authority just before the next general election. Prime Minister Sunak, who has been in power since October 2022, has staked his political future on reducing record levels of regular and irregular migration. His Rwanda Security (Asylum and Immigration) bill is critical to delivering on this promise.
However, the legislation has reopened divisions within the Tory government, between those who consider themselves right-wing and moderate, meaning Sunak faces a struggle to pass it. Sunak’s plan is a response to a unanimous UK Supreme Court ruling in November which declared it illegal to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda under international law. The bill would require judges to consider Rwanda as a safe third country and proposes giving powers to UK ministers to override parts of international and British human rights law.
However, the bill triggered deep factional disputes within the Conservative Party not seen since the rows over Brexit. Last month, Sunak faced down rebels from his party and won a close parliamentary vote on Rwandan legislation, and now he will have to do it again in a vote expected on Wednesday night.
First, parliamentarians will debate a series of amendments to the bill starting on Tuesday. They are unlikely to pass, but they will reveal the extent of the opposition Sunak faces. More than 50 Conservative MPs have publicly expressed support for right-wing amendments that toughen the bill, including not applying international law and restricting the rights of asylum seekers to appeal their transfer to Kigali.
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2024-01-21 03:59:30
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