House of Lords faces fresh defeats over Rwanda Bill from Government
The vote on Wednesday has resulted in ten total amendments backed by peers.
The government’s Rwanda asylum bill faced a setback in the House of Lords, experiencing defeat in a series of five votes.
Illegal immigration has been a contentious issue for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who has pledged to prevent illegal crossings in small boats across the English Channel. The government’s proposal to send illegal immigrants to Rwanda, especially those crossing the Channel in small boats, has faced legal obstacles regarding the scheme’s safety.
The defeats in the upper chamber have increased pressure on the government to make changes to the bill as part of their crackdown on illegal immigration.
Debate
According to an amendment vote passed on Monday, Rwanda cannot be considered a safe country until treaty safeguards are fully implemented. The Archbishop of Canterbury stated that if this is the case, there should be no problem with the amendments to the bill.
Labor frontbencher Lord Coaker emphasized the importance of testing laws in court.
“The courts ensure that justice is served. Justice in this case requires legal scrutiny of the impact of the law on individuals. This is fundamental to the operation of the rule of law,” he informed the House of Lords.
Contrary to some peers, others argued that the bill has faced continuous challenges and delays regarding Rwanda’s safety, despite evidence provided by both Rwanda and the UK.
“Determining someone’s status as a victim of modern slavery is not a simple process and cannot be based solely on a brief physical assessment,” Lord German expressed.
The amendment received a majority backing of 84 votes.
Following scrutiny by the upper chamber, the bill will be returned to the Commons, where the government’s majority is expected to overturn the amended provisions.