Amidst controversy, the Rwanda asylum bill is set to return to the UK Parliament next week, prompting sacked Home Secretary Suella Braverman to declare her intention to vote against the legislation if it doesn't see improvements. The bill, one of the strictest immigration measures proposed, seeks to deport asylum seekers arriving in the UK to Rwanda and faces its third reading vote after parliamentary debate and amendments on January 16-17.
Braverman, in an interview with GB News, expressed her reluctance to support a bill that, as currently drafted, she believes does not work. She emphasized the need for improvements and stated that she would vote against it if no enhancements were made.
The third reading vote marks the final opportunity for the Commons to discuss the bill's contents before it moves to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. Right-wing Conservative MPs have warned Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the bill needs substantial strengthening to be effective.
Braverman criticized the bill's efficacy, labeling it "fundamentally fatally flawed" and accused the government of pretending otherwise. She highlighted the bill's failure to prevent scenarios like the June 2022 deportation flight blocked by a last-minute injunction from the European Court of Human Rights. Braverman stressed the necessity to preclude individual claimants from challenging the government's powers in court, preventing delays in deportations.
Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who resigned over the bill, shared similar sentiments, stating that the bill lacks a deterrent effect and requires improvement. Sunak, open to "bright ideas" to enhance the bill, has emphasized the significant cost and dangers associated with illegal migration, portraying the legislation as a means to control borders and discourage perilous journeys.
Upon receiving Royal Assent, the bill will enable the UK to proceed with processing individuals for relocation and initiating removal flights to Rwanda. The Home Office aims to fast-track the emergency legislation through the House expeditiously.
(With Agency Inputs)
Read also| Joe Biden Issues Warning to Houthis, Further Retaliation If They Continue Attacks
