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Rishi Sunak’s contentious Rwanda bill recently faced further setbacks, as peers defeated the government on all ten votes. This development occurred on Wednesday, after the Archbishop of Canterbury and former Conservative ministers collaborated with the opposition to push through five amendments.
These consecutive defeats in the upper house signify the ongoing political challenges faced by the Rwanda bill that will become all the clearer when it undergoes additional scrutiny upon its return to the House of Commons.
Peers voted 244 to 160 to exempt individuals who have endangered themselves by serving with the UK armed forces or government overseas from deportation to Rwanda. Additionally, the Labour backbench amendment ensures exemption for the partners and dependents of these individuals. The government also suffered defeats regarding safeguards for victims of modern slavery, with peers voting 246 to 171 to protect them from being removed to Rwanda without their consent.
Furthermore, peers supported measures for ministers to publish a timetable for removals to Rwanda. Labour’s proposed amendment, which aims to ensure transparency regarding the number of people planned for removal to Kigali, their timetable, and arrangements made for those not sent within the treaty period, was passed in the House of Lords with a vote of 228 to 184. Additionally, peers rejected the government’s attempt to circumvent UK courts, thereby restoring the domestic courts’ jurisdiction concerning Rwanda’s safety.
Regarding protections for asylum seekers claiming to be unaccompanied children, peers voted 265 to 181 to restore the ability of domestic courts to fully consider appeals against age assessment decisions before removal to Rwanda.
Whether the Rwanda Bill be challenged to the point of eradication or will surpass all existing criticism is yet to be seen, but it can be guaranteed that either route will mean no smooth journey.
Image: Weiss Paarz ‘Court Gavel – Judge’s Gavel – Courtroom‘ // CC BY-SA 2.0
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