Despite facing delays for almost two years, the UK parliament finally passed the most contented bill. It allows the government to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda- the African nation via flights arranged.
Missing the original spring target, Mr. Sunak pledged the flights to Rwanda will take off in the next 10-12 weeks. ‘Nothing will stand in our way’ now of getting flights off the ground says Rishi Sunak in a statement.
He says in a statement on Tuesday upon passing the bill- ‘not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration”.
The bill has been designed to prevent the illegal migration from the France via small boats in the channels. The bill was first proposed by then president Boris Johnson two years ago as a way to prevent these illegal migrations via water routes. The bill was first conceived in 2022, when the president Sunak made this a mission of his government to stop this immigration, following a pledge- ‘Stop the Boats’.
The bill was stymied for as long as 2 years due to multiple attempts to amend it. The back and forth passing of the bill between the House of Lords and the House of Commons the bill was sent back to MPs 5 times before the bill was finally passed as a Law. The so called ‘Ping pong’ saw the bill flit between both the Houses throughout Monday evening, before both, MPs and peers now agreed upon the plan.
In response to the amendment, the government introduced Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill in January this year which enshrines that Rwanda is a safe country.
The second amendment, that calls for exemption of deportation for Afghans who served British forces was agreed on Monday by peers who claimed of getting a concession from the government on the matter.
The third amendment that requires and ‘Independent body’ to rule Rwanda as a safe country made parliamentarians sit through a long night of voting. However the amendment was withdrawn on the second round of voting. The Lords agreed upon the fact that they must ‘acknowledge the primacy of the Elected House.’
Approximately around midnight, the Lords agreed upon making to further amendments to the bill, and that the bill would be sent for final royal approval.
Royal Assent is expected to be given by King Charles in the upcoming few days, officially passing the bill into law.
Defending the bill, Home Minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom claims it to be compiled with international law and says that it was, “profoundly moral and patriotic to defend the integrity of our border”.
Not only the opposition, but the Human Rights Groups objected the saying the law poses a “significant threat to the rule of law” by undermining what protect people from an abuse of power by the state.
The charity Freedom from Torture, alongside Amnesty International and Liberty states “This shameful bill trashes the constitution and international law whilst putting torture survivors and other refugees at risk of an unsafe future in Rwanda”. “We all deserve the chance to live a safe life, and seek protection when we need it the most.”
