Upper house blocks itself
New setback for Sunak’s Rwanda deportation plans
January 23, 2024, 4:36 a.m
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It is becoming increasingly unrealistic for the British government to be able to implement its plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda during this legislative period. The upper house does not consider the East African country to be suitable for the project.
The British House of Lords has initially rejected the ratification of a controversial agreement with Rwanda to deport asylum seekers to the East African country. A majority of 214 members to 171 voted to delay ratification until the British government had demonstrated that Rwanda was a safe receiving country for migrants to be deported there.
The majority of the upper house followed a recommendation from a cross-party committee. In a report, he described the guarantees provided for in the agreement as “incomplete”. However, unlike the elected lower house, the upper house cannot block ratification of the agreement.
Tories also disagree
The agreement is a central part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government’s plans to combat illegal migration by deporting asylum seekers to the East African country. Accordingly, all refugees who reach Great Britain should be taken to Rwanda, which should be declared a safe third country. The opposition, as well as human rights activists, have massively criticized the plan, but it is also very controversial among Sunak’s Conservatives.
Last week, the British House of Commons approved the law on the plans. It stipulates that irregular migrants can in future be sent from Great Britain to Rwanda, which will be classified as a safe third country, without having their asylum application examined. The British government hopes that this will have a deterrent effect on migrants. The law is scheduled to be discussed in the upper house next week.
Observers assume that the House of Lords will ultimately not block the law. However, the schedule is likely to be delayed, so implementation in this legislative period appears unrealistic. The opposition Labor Party does not want to pursue the plans any further if it takes over government.