In a major setback for the Rishi Sunak-led British government, the House of Lords or the Upper House of the British Parliament voted to delay his Rwanda Plan, days after he requested the members of the Upper Chamber not block his plan. The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill paves the way for Britain to put asylum seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda. It was passed in the Lower House with 276 votes out of 320 votes in the British Parliament last week.
The development marks the latest roadblock in PM Sunak’s plan to send migrants, who illegally cross British borders either by crossing the English Channel or by other means, to the African nation of Rwanda.
Choosing to vote for delay on the crucial treaty on Monday evening, the members of the House of Lords underscored how some members of the Upper Chamber oppose the policy that has been controversial since it was first introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Additionally, Lords, who are appointed rather than elected, defended their stance stating that the ministers must not approve the legislation unless they can show that Rwanda is a safe nation for migrants.
However, the votes by the members of the House of Lords have a limited impact since they do not have the power to prevent a treaty from coming into force. Yet, it marks a significant hindrance to PM Sunak’s bill, as the Lords might try to bring amendments to the legislation.
To add to his existing trouble, senior Tory MP and former cabinet secretary Sir Simon Clarke, who rebelled on the Rwanda Bill, called for his party to replace Rishi Sunak as prime minister. He contested against PM Sunak stating that the party has lost key voters by failing to be bold on immigration and government reforms.
For those unversed, the Rwanda plan came into being in April 2022 under PM Boris Johnson when he signed the pact with Rwanda to send a slew of migrants to the South African nation. However, since then, the plan has been facing legal challenges, most crucial among which was the Supreme Court terming the bill “unlawful” because migrants were at risk of being sent to their homelands or other nations.
Keeping in mind SC’s rule, when Sunak came to power, he formalized a new treaty with Rwanda which sought to prevent any migrant from being sent elsewhere, other than back to Britain.
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