LONDON – Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has successfully pushed his crucial Rwanda bill through the House of Commons, as a potential revolt from fellow Tories failed to materialize. The bill, designed to prevent legal challenges against the government’s plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, was approved with a vote of 320 to 276. Although several Conservative members considered the bill flawed and threatened to rebel, only 11 ended up voting against it.
The legislation now heads to the House of Lords, where it is expected to face strong opposition. Sunak argues that deporting some asylum seekers to Rwanda will dissuade migrants from attempting to reach the UK by crossing the English Channel in small boats. However, critics, including the Labour Party, deride the plan as an expensive gimmick. The government hopes to operationalize the flights to Rwanda by spring.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to hold a press conference at Downing Street later in the day to address the policy. In the past two days, several Conservative MPs attempted to amend the bill, fearing that the government’s plan could be blocked by the courts without changes. Although an amendment proposed by former immigration minister Robert Jenrick did not receive approval, it garnered support from 61 Conservatives, making it the largest rebellion during Sunak’s premiership.
Despite concerns among some MPs, the bill passed with 11 members voting against it, including Jenrick and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman. However, 18 Conservative MPs did not record a vote, potentially due to an inability to attend rather than a deliberate abstention. Critics of the bill, including Sunak’s fellow party members, argue that legal challenges will once again ground deportation flights, rendering the plan ineffective.
The bill’s next test will be in the House of Lords, where many peers have reservations about its compliance with international law. While peers have said they will not obstruct the government, they believe it is their duty to safeguard against abuses of legal principles. The debate over the legislation has underscored the ongoing divisions among Conservatives, with two deputy chairmen quitting their positions to vote in favor of the rebel amendments.
As the bill progresses, Sunak is likely to urge the Lords to swiftly pass it to set the policy in motion. Home Office Minister Chris Philp revealed that the government aims to begin the flights this spring. Meanwhile, the UK has already provided £240 million to Rwanda, with an additional £50 million expected. Despite this, a Rwandan government spokeswoman stated that the country had no obligation to return the money but would review any request for a refund.
Lastly, amid the bill’s passage through Parliament, Downing Street faced allegations that it sought to revise the Civil Service code to include a presumption of ignoring emergency injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights. However, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister denied these claims, stating that there was no intention to alter the code. The Cabinet Office clarified that civil servants were responsible for implementing a minister’s decision to ignore court rulings.