In a significant move, the UK’s Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, advocated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, won a significant vote in Parliament this week. The bill, introduced in response to a Supreme Court’s ruling that deemed the government’s Rwanda deportation plan unlawful, passed its second reading in the House of Commons by 313 votes against 269.
The proposed legislation has caused notable controversy in seeking to classify Rwanda as a safe country for asylum seekers who illegally entered the UK. Critically, it faced scrutiny for disapplying portions of the UK’s Human Rights Act 1998 and international law. The Rwandan government has raised concerns in response, even threatening to withdraw from a recent treaty unless the UK complies with international legal procedures.
The prime minister expended significant energy in securing the necessary votes to pass the second reading. Such efforts were to prevent a potential party rebellion and saw Graham Stuart, the minister leading the COP28 Climate Summit, flown back to London to vote. Overcoming these hurdles prevented Sunak’s bill from becoming the first to falter at this legislative stage since 1986.
The evening began with the Labour Party proposing an amendment seeking to halt the bill’s second reading. The amendment highlighted the bill’s failure to address numerous issues, including human trafficking, small boat crossings, and substantial costs to UK taxpayers. Critics also noted that the bill may risk UK’s compliance with international law. This proposed amendment, however, was voted down.
The eventual vote saw 38 abstentions, suggesting a potential future battle for Sunak whilst promoting the bill. Next, the bill will enter a committee stage where its content will be more thoroughly scrutinised. This stage is expected early next year and if cleared, the bill will move to the report stage, followed by a third reading in the House of Commons. On clearing all these stages, it would then be presented to the House of Lords, and with agreement from both houses, it will eventually receive Royal Assent and become law.