An overwhelming number of Lords, mostly Tory peers, have voted in favor of five amendments that would pose a huge threat to Rishi Sunak’s controversial Rwanda bill.
Sunak’s Rwanda Bill Blow
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has had his infamous Rwanda Bill slammed by a majority of Conservative peers in the House of Lords for being a threat to the lives of asylum seekers.
Tory Peers Vote for Amendments to Block Rwanda Bill
The Tory peers recently voted for five amendments to be passed that would provide a huge obstacle for the Rwanda legislation to be deemed “lawful.”
Ken Clarke’s Critique
Former Cabinet minister Ken Clarke criticized the Government’s Rwanda Bill, arguing that the Supreme Court would block it for being inhumane after the Archbishop of Canterbury teamed up with Conservatives to dismiss it.
Controversial Legislation
The Rwanda Bill aims to designate Rwanda as a “safe country” for asylum seekers and migrants arriving in the UK via “small boats.”
Tories Under Fire
The Tories have come under scrutiny for the bill as the Supreme Court has already deemed the bill as “unlawful” once, due to a possible threat to life for the asylum seekers upon their arrival in the African nation.
Lord Clarke’s Opposition
Lord Clarke expressed his disapproval of the Bill, referring to the previous Supreme Court decision to block it by arguing he didn’t think it was “in any way probable” that the court would “come to any other conclusion.”
Potential Legal Challenge
Lord Clarke also suggested that if the Labour Party allowed the Bill to pass, a legal challenge may follow, “If the Labour Party allows this Bill to go through, I very much hope there will be a legal challenge,” he noted.
Sunak’s Failed Immigration Plan
The government’s hardline stance on immigration has become a point of contention among critics, with Sunak’s recent plan to house them on a controversial barge recently failing.
Legionella Virus Found on Barge
The Bibby Stockholm Barge was evacuated just days after asylum seekers were housed on it after the water was found to be contaminated with a serious legionella virus, further backing up the argument that it is not a safe place to live.
Tragedy Strikes Bibby Stockholm
Another asylum seeker tragically died while on board the barge after reports emerged that he took his own life. A former maid said that the man was “tricked” into being placed on the barge in the first place.
Prime Minister’s Warning
Rishi Sunak warns the Lords not to obstruct the legislative process, stressing the importance of adhering to the “will of the people” and addressing the migration issue.
If Bill Has Nothing to Hide, Then There’s Nothing to Fear
Tory peer Lord Anderson argued that if Sunak’s proposed legislation was safe, then the Prime Minister had nothing to fear about the new amendments made by the majority of ministers.
Lord Anderson’s Statement
“If Rwanda is safe, as the government would have us declare, it has nothing to fear from such scrutiny,” argued Lord Anderson of Ipswich.
Archbishop of Canterbury’s Comparison to Nazi Germany
The Archbishop of Canterbury made a powerful argument that compared the current government’s laws to those of Nazi Germany, saying that elected governments can pass laws that breach human rights.
Comparison to “Horrific” Nazi Laws
The Archbishop of Canterbury argued that the Nazi party “had been legally and properly elected, passed horrific laws that did terrible things”.
Former Lord Speaker Deems Bill Unlawful
A former Lord Speaker, Baroness D’Souza, argued that the bill “subverts the rule of law” and does not respect “fundamental human rights and guaranteeing access to the courts.”
Lords Deem Rwanda Unsafe
One of the amendments passed was backed by a huge majority of 102 votes, which claimed the government could not claim Rwanda as a “safe” country for asylum seekers to build their new lives.
Conservatives Under Racism Scrutiny
Rishi Sunak’s government has recently been scrutinized for certain members having views that some deemed “racist,” including suspended former Tory MP Lee Anderson and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
Sunak to Fight Till the End
Despite the overwhelming majority of condemnation for the bill by the House of Lords, there are no signs that Sunak will stop fighting for the legislation’s approval.
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The post “Unlawful” – Huge Blow to Sunak’s ‘Spring’ Rwanda Plan first appeared on Edge Media.
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