Downing Street admitted the UK was in the grip of a ‘migration emergency’ today – but refused to force through its Rwanda deportation flights law before Easter.
The Government was facing questions over when flights carrying channel arrivals to east Africa may start after peers last night inflicted more defeats on the legislation.
The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill was introduced as ’emergency’ legislation in November, under plans to get it on the statute book as quickly as possible.
But Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt confirmed this morning that MPs will not now consider legislation until April 15 – more than four months later. It means the PM’s timetable of the first deportation flights taking off in the spring looks increasingly difficult.
To make matters worse it came after it was revealed Wednesday was the busiest day for Channel crossings since the start of 2024.
More than 4,000 people are thought to have crossed the English Channel so far this year, according to Home Office figures, with 514 people making the journey in 10 boats.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘The legislation is dealing with a migration emergency and we are introducing that legislation as soon as we possibly can to reduce the number of people taking the perilous journey across the Channel.’
He added that it was ‘frustrating’ that the House of Lords had not passed the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill on Wednesday night, making changes to the legislation that mean it has to go back to the Commons for consideration.
He said: ‘It is exactly because we are still seeing people making this perilous journey across the Channel, including people in the last few days, that the PM wants parliamentarians across the House to get behind this Bill and to stop the boats.’
The PM’s timetable of the first deportation flights taking off in the Spring looks increasingly difficult, with Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt (pictured today) confirming that MPs will not consider legislation until April 15
Rishi Sunak faces a battle to keep his Rwanda vow today after the House of Lords inflicted a fresh defeats on crucial legislation
The blocking tactics came on the busiest day of the year so far on the Channel yesterday (pictured). An estimated 480 migrants reached Britain by small boat from northern France
Mr Sunak has put the Rwanda policy at the heart of his commitment to ‘Stop the Boats’
Unelected peers again pressed their demands for revisions to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill last night, including overturning the move to oust the courts from the process.
The Lords defied plead from ministers to bow to the view of MPs, who earlier in the week reversed a raft of changes proposed by the Lords.
Ms Mordaunt suggested that if MPs remove the amendments on April 15 and peers subsequently reinstate them, there will be a final showdown on April 17.
The growing spat came after the busiest day of the year so far on the Channel. More than migrants reached Britain by small boat from northern France.
Mr Sunak has put the Rwanda policy at the heart of his commitment to ‘Stop the Boats’.
Government sources have insisted even if the legislation is not passed until after Easter, the PM can still meet his goal of having the first deportation flights take off this spring.
However, there are fears that even after the legislation gets Royal Assent it could take weeks to put the plan into effect.
The Bill and a treaty with Rwanda are intended to prevent further legal challenges to the stalled asylum scheme after the Supreme Court ruled the plan was unlawful.
As well as compelling judges to regard the east African country as safe, it would also give ministers the power to ignore emergency injunctions.
But the Lords has again insisted on an amendment to restore the jurisdiction of domestic courts in relation to the safety of Rwanda and enable them to intervene.
Peers also renewed their demand for the Bill to have ‘due regard’ for domestic and international law and that Rwanda can only be declared safe when the protections in the treaty are fully implemented and while they remain in place.
Other changes included moves to reduce the risk of unaccompanied children being sent to Rwanda and a block on the removal of victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, as well as those who worked with the UK military or government overseas, such as Afghan interpreters.
The seven defeats ensures a further round of ‘ping-pong’ over the Bill, where legislation is batted between the two Houses until agreement is reached.
Peers last night defied plead from ministers to bow to the view of MPs, who earlier in the week reversed a raft of changes proposed by the Lords
The Bill could now return to the Commons on April 15, and be put to the Lords the following day.
Home Secretary James Cleverly said it was time for ‘the talking to end’ and implement the scheme.
‘While Labour and their allies try anything to delay, disrupt or destroy that plan people are risking their lives in the hands of people who don’t care if they die as long as they pay. The talking needs to end so we can get on with the job of saving lives and stopping the boats,’ he said.
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