British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is encountering a significant split within his government over the alternative plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, as reported by The Independent. This division is intensifying amidst growing calls for the UK to withdraw from European human rights laws.
Sunak, under pressure, is reportedly considering using emergency legislation to override the Human Rights Act and asking courts to disregard the European Convention on Human Rights in asylum cases. The UK’s Immigration Minister, Robert Jenrick, is among those urging the Prime Minister to take this exceptional step. However, other key figures, including new Home Secretary James Cleverly and Justice Minister Alex Chalk, are believed to favor a softer approach.
A senior government source warned that this plan could lead to more legal challenges, potentially delaying the Rwanda scheme even further. The source expressed concerns about the risk of appearing stringent without successful implementation.
These developments follow Sunak’s promise to introduce emergency legislation to classify Rwanda as a “safe” country and to forge a new treaty with Kigali. This move aims to address issues that led the UK’s Supreme Court to deem the deportation plan illegal.
The updated Rwanda treaty, formulated by Sunak, is expected to be presented to Parliament this week, following Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement. The treaty is also anticipated to address the Supreme Court’s concerns regarding “forced returns” (the possibility of refugees rejected by Rwanda being sent back to the countries they fled from).
This situation underscores the complex and contentious nature of the UK’s asylum and immigration policy, particularly regarding the handling of asylum seekers. The proposed Rwanda deportation plan has sparked debate not only within the government but also among human rights advocates and the broader public. It reflects the ongoing challenges in balancing national security and immigration control with international human rights obligations. As the UK government grapples with these issues, the outcome of this internal division and the revised treaty’s reception in Parliament will be closely watched, both domestically and internationally.
