The bill is intended to tackle migrants entering the UK on small boats. via Getty Images
Rishi Sunak's plan to fight small boats is set to become law after being passed by the lords in a series of government victories.
Conservatives have rallied in support of the controversial legislation, rejecting amendments requiring tougher detention periods for unaccompanied children, better protections for victims of modern slavery, and a six-month delay in deporting migrants.
The Illegal Migration Bill gives the Home Secretary the power to and promptly deport any migrant entering the UK illegally to their home country or to a third country such as Rwanda, which can be challenged in the Supreme Court.
The Lords' votes came after the government refused further concessions and repealed nine peerage amendments in the Commons to send the bill back to the upper house. Now this summer, after a few weeks of ping-pong between the two chambers, the royal assent will be passed.
“I don't think anyone imagined that we could pilot the most significant immigration bill for a generation. without any material concessions and without any pressure on the majority in the government,” said a government source.
The bill, supported by MPs in March, is at the heart of Mr. Sunak's pledge to end small boat crossings of the river. English channel.
Deportation flights to Rwanda are unlikely before the New Year, and their goodness depends on the Supreme Court ruling on their legality in the fall.
During the Lords debate, Lord Murray of Bleedworth, the Home Secretary, said that the number of arrivals in small boats had «overwhelmed» Britain's asylum system and that hotel accommodation for 51,000 migrants had cost taxpayers £6 million. per day.
“Given that more than 45,000 people made dangerous crossings across the English Channel last year, this is simply impossible,” he told colleagues, adding that it would be “the only right thing” to break “ business model” of traffickers. He urged the Lords to «respect the will of the elected House and the British people by passing this bill».
In an overnight debate, the government rejected an introductory amendment that would require ministers to «take into account» Britain's international commitments to protect human rights, refugees and the rights of the child, by 217 votes to 200. The ministers said so. unnecessary
A demand to allow an asylum application to be processed if a person has not been removed from the UK within six months was defeated by 213 votes to 193, and a proposal to limit the detention of unaccompanied children to 72 hours was defeated by 207 votes to 200.
Messages on illegal arrival
An amendment aimed at providing guarantees for victims of modern slavery living in the UK was defeated by 205 votes to 193.
At least one other vote was annulled due to a government victory. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rev. Justin Welby, a sharp critic of the bill, also withdrew his demand for a statement addressing the issue of refugees and human trafficking in the UK after a similar proposal was rejected by MPs.
While he agreed with the need to stop the passage of small boats, the archbishop said: “I don’t understand how this [the bill] does this, and I haven’t heard anything that could convince me.
“But this is the point of view of another place. I agree that, in the end, on most issues, except the most essential, this chamber should give way to another.
“The problem with the bill is that it started in the wrong place. Where we had to start was… to achieve a certain level of national consensus and agreement on what is the goal of our migration policy and immigration policy in the long term.”
The debate in parliament began when a barge housing 500 migrants was on the move. Plans for the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland, Dorset are a month behind schedule, but the ship finally left Falmouth, Cornwall on Monday, where work was underway to prepare it for its new role.
Downing Street has defended the use of barges to house migrants, insisting that it is a cheaper alternative to hotel accommodation.
Enver Solomon, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, said: “This is a black day for the UK's reputation as a human rights defender and a serious moment for those seeking security in a volatile world. But the fight for a fair and humane asylum system continues.
“We are proud that the work we have done with MPs and colleagues has resulted in some changes that will make the terrible piece of legislation a little less bad. But overall, the bill remains unworkable and will result in human suffering and huge costs for taxpayers.
“From detailed analysis, we estimate that in the first three years, the bill will leave almost 200,000 men, women and children left in limbo. condition, detained or destitute in the UK.
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