The UK Parliament’s House of Commons has rejected all amendments made by the House of Lords to the Rwanda Bill, which seeks to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, despite significant controversies surrounding the plan.
The rejected amendments included provisions allowing courts to assess Rwanda’s safety, a key concern raised by critics. The government maintains that Rwanda is a safe destination for deportations.
Previously, the Supreme Court deemed the Rwanda deportation plan unlawful due to potential human rights violations.
Labour Party members raised concerns about the exorbitant cost of each deportation, equating it to the expense of sending six individuals into space. This criticism comes as the proposed law aims to designate Rwanda as a safe place for deportations, a move defended by Home Office Minister Michael Tomlinson as crucial for border security.
Labour’s Stephen Kinnock supported the Lords’ amendments, emphasizing their duty to scrutinize legislation thoroughly. He urged the government to consider the Supreme Court ruling and accused Conservative MPs of pushing through controversial and costly policies.
Labour backbencher Neil Coyle highlighted a National Audit Office report indicating the high cost of the scheme and called for a reevaluation of the policy’s feasibility.
Tory backbencher Richard Graham defended the cost as a deterrent for unfounded asylum claims, echoing the government’s stance.
Former justice secretary Robert Buckland expressed concerns about legal challenges and advocated for an amendment exempting certain individuals, such as Afghan translators who aided UK forces, from deportation to Rwanda.
Despite these debates, MPs voted to reject all Lords’ amendments, sending the bill back to the upper house. Peers will have another opportunity to review the legislation before the Easter break.
Downing Street remains optimistic about initiating deportation flights to Rwanda by June, despite ongoing legal and financial controversies.
The post Commons Overturns Rwanda Bill Amendments Amid Cost and Safety Concerns appeared first on Current News in Philadelphia Pennsylvania Today | NewsInPhiladelphia.com.
