Watch as Sunak’s Rwanda bill faces test in House of Lords

Watch as the Rwanda bill faces a test in the House of Lords on Monday 29 January.

Rishi Sunak is braced for further battle over his bill to revive the government’s asylum scheme, as the legislation faces scrutiny from a number of prominent critics.

Some 71 members of the upper chamber are expected to speak at the second reading debate of the draft law.

Among them is the Archbishop of Canterbury, who has voiced profound concerns about the plan to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight to Kigali.

Lord Carlile of Berriew, who earlier this month warned the government is moving towards “totalitarianism” in its handling of the policy, is also due to appear.

The crossbench peer has suggested the Lords would seek to undo what he described as politicians “meddling” in the independent courts.

Mr Sunak’s Safety of Rwanda Bill survived its third reading in the House of Commons earlier this month after the prime minister saw off a Tory rebellion which had sought to toughen the legislation.