UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he
was open to toughening up his controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda,
which has divided his ruling Conservative party.
The plan is Rishi Sunak’s answer to a
unanimous Supreme Court ruling last month that deporting asylum seekers to
Rwanda is illegal under international law.
Rishi Sunak, who has been in power for
just over a year, has staked his political future on cutting record levels of
regular and irregular migration, with the issue set to be a key battle ground
in the next general election.
The British leader faced down party
rebels earlier this week by winning a knife-edge Parliamentary vote on the
so-called Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.
But he faces having to make concessions
in the New Year to Tory right-wingers, who want the bill toughened up, all
while having to please moderates in the party, who insist the legislation
already goes far enough.
“I’ve been very consistently clear, as
have all ministers. If there are ways that the legislation can be improved, to
be made even more effective – with a respectable legal argument and maintaining
the participation of the Rwandans in the scheme – of course we would be open to
that. Who wouldn’t be?” Rishi Sunak told reporters.
Disregarding UK & International Law
The emergency bill, published just last
week, is Rishi Sunak’s answer to the Supreme Court decision that the flagship
policy was unlawful.
It would compel judges to treat Rwanda
as a safe third country and proposes giving UK ministers powers to disregard
sections of international and British human rights legislation.
The bill has triggered deep factional
Tory infighting not seen since wrangling over what form Brexit should take.
The feuding threatens to weaken Rishi
Sunak’s authority going into a general election expected next year, which the Opposition
Labour Party is currently expected to win.
“We are confident this is a very strong
piece of legislation. I think most legal experts, former judges have all said the
legislation is incredibly strong, it is effective, it will work,” Rishi Sunak
added.
“The key now is to get it on the statute
books so we can get the scheme up and running,” Rishi Sunak said.
The plan – which would see would-be
refugees who arrive in the UK via unauthorised routes deported to the African
country – is a key part of Rishi Sunak’s pledge to “stop the boats”.
Almost 30,000 asylum seekers have
crossed the English Channel from northern France on rudimentary vessels this
year.
AFP
