Rwanda bill - live: Sunak doubles down on refusal to help Afghan heroes as no guarantee of fights by spring
Commons leader confirms Rwanda bill will return to the House of Commons on Monday
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Rishi Sunak has doubled down on his refusal to exempt Afghan heroes who served with British forces from being deported to Rwanda.
A No 10 spokesman said on Wednesday that the government would not be making any concessions on the Rwanda bill after the House of Lords last night voted in favour of the move.
The defiant upper chamber refused to cave to ministers’ demands and sent the flagship Rwanda plan back to the Commons.
Peers are also demanding the set up of a monitoring committee to assess whether Rwanda is safe before the government sends asylum seekers there.
Downing Street also on Thursday was unable to recommit to the prime minister’s pledge to get flights to Rwanda off the ground by the spring.
The spokesman said: “I’m not going to get ahead of the bill passing, which obviously we’ve seen again last night has continued to be held up.
“We’re working at pace to ensure these flights leave as soon as possible. It’s now incumbent on the Lords to pass this Bill such that we can trigger the final planning phases and ultimately stop the boats.”
UK seals Vietnam deal to deter illegal migration
The Home Office has confirmed a new deal with Vietnam to strengthen collaboration on efforts to tackle illegal migration, including through deterrence communication campaigns and intelligence-sharing.
Officials said the agreement would “continue to facilitate the process for the return of those with no right to remain in the UK” and lead to the development of a joint action plan to tackle human trafficking.
Vietnamese nationals made up 5% of small boat arrivals in the UK last year, up from 1% in 2022 but the same proportion as in 2021, Home Office figures show.
From 2018 to the end of 2023, there were 3,356 Vietnamese small boat arrivals, putting Vietnam in the top 10 source countries.
Mr Tomlinson, said: “This agreement is an important step with a valued partner to ensure we are working in lockstep to end exploitation by people-smuggling gangs, and to save lives.”
Defiant Lords back Afghan heroes and refuse to pass Sunak’s plan
Full report: Lords have refused to cave in to ministers and have instead sent back Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda Bill to the Commons with two key changes:
Defiant Lords back Afghan heroes and refuse to pass Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill
Downing Street has refused to make changes to Rwanda Bill and insists flights will take off by Summer
Lords insist on exemption for overseas heroes
The Lords have now dealt a further blow to the Rwanda legislation, again backing an exemption from removal for those who worked with the UK military or government overseas, such as Afghan interpreters.
The Lords’ insistence on the amendments - by 247 votes to 195, majority 52 - ensures a fourth round of “ping pong” over the Bill, where legislation is batted between the two Houses until agreement is reached.
The legislation will now be sent back to the Commons for MPs to consider the latest changes by peers.
Watch: Tory MP squirms refusing to say why he reported Rayner to police
Tory MP squirms while refusing to say why he reported Angela Rayner to police
The Tory MP who contacted police about Angela Rayner continued to refuse to say what he thinks she has done wrong. James Daly, the Conservative Party deputy chairman, contacted police about allegations surrounding the deputy Labour leader’s living arrangements. Appearing on Sky News on Wednesday, he refused to say what he thought Rayner had done wrong despite being the one to make the complaint and accused fellow panellist Sir Chris Bryant of “shouting”. It came after he failed to answer a similar question three times during an awkward exchange on the BBC’s Daily Politics programme yesterday.
Lords keep deadlock going in snubbing calls to back down
The House of Lords has snubbed ministerial calls to back down – and insisted by 245 votes to 208, majority 37, on a requirement that Rwanda cannot be treated as safe until promised protections are in place.
The fresh government setback means yet more wrangling at Westminster over the proposed law that aims to clear the way to send asylum-seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight to Kigali.
Minister urges peers to give in and pass Bill
Peers have been urged to relent in their deadlock with the government over the Safety of Rwanda Bill.
Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson said allowing the Bill to pass now would “send a clear signal that if you come to the United Kingdom illegally you will not be able to stay”.
As MPs rejected four amendments to the Bill, Mr Tomlinson said: “We have made it abundantly clear that our priority is to stop the boats, we simply cannot stand by and allow people-smugglers to control who enters our country and to see more lives being lost at sea.
“We have an obligation to the public and to those who are being exploited by criminal gangs to stop this vile trade and to protect our borders.
“Letting this Bill pass now will send a clear signal that if you come to the United Kingdom illegally you will not be able to stay.”
Rwanda deportation fears ‘will hit armed forces'
Britain’s armed forces will struggle to recruit local allies if the government allows Afghan veterans to be deported to Rwanda, Labour has said.
MPs and peers have urged ministers to ensure those who worked with the UK military or government overseas, such as Afghan interpreters, are exempt from removal to Rwanda under the terms of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.
Shadow Home Office minister Stephen Kinnock told the Commons: “We owe a debt of honour and gratitude to the Afghans who so bravely fought alongside British troops and the idea that we might send them to Rwanda is simply unconscionable.
“But Lord Browne’s amendment is not only driven by a moral imperative, it is also underpinned by our national interest and by military logic for the simple and obvious reason that the ability of our armed forces to recruit local allies will be severely constrained if this Bill passes unamended.”
Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson earlier sought to downplay concerns, saying: “This Government recognises the commitment and responsibility that comes with combat veterans, whether our own or those who have shown courage by serving alongside.
“I repeat: we will not let them down.”
Tory minister says she will not be reading Liz Truss’s new book: ‘Not interested in that’
Tory minister says she will not be reading Liz Truss book: ‘Not interested in that’
Treasury minister Laura Trott has revealed she will not be reading former prime minister Liz Truss’s new book. The Tory minister said she had previously read a book Harry Cole and Ed James produced about Ms Truss, but confirmed she will not be reading Ten Years to Save the West. She told Kay Burley on Sky News today (17 April) : “That's probably enough Liz Truss books for me." When asked why, she replied: “I am not interested in revisiting that period if I am honest, Kay.” The book is said to feature several bizarre revelations from Ms Truss’s short time in No 10.
MPs set up fresh fight with Lords as they reject Rwanda Bill amendments
In full: MPs have rejected amendments to the Rwanda Bill:
MPs set up fight with Lords as they reject amendments to Rwanda Bill
Labour Lords will attempt to force changes to the government’s Rwanda Bill
Ex-Tory minister slams ‘hypocritical’ focus on Angela Rayner’s tax affairs
A former Tory minister has joined high profile figures to come out in defence of deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner as police investigating claims about her former living arrangements say they are considering multiple allegations:
Ex-Tory minister slams focus on Angela Rayner’s tax affairs as ‘grotesque hypocrisy’
The police have said they are considering multiple other allegations in connection with deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner
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