Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda policy faces another parliamentary showdown as the Lords consider whether to hold the legislation up until after Easter.
On the eve of the Bill being reconsidered by peers, Home Secretary James Cleverly urged the unelected chamber to “let this Bill pass”.
The House of Lords could dash efforts to get the legislation through Parliament by Easter if they make fresh changes to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill on Wednesday.
It comes amid a busy day for Channel crossings, with pictures showing large numbers of people being brought ashore by Border Force in Dover, Kent.
Some 3,529 migrants have arrived in the UK so far this year after making the journey from France, according to the latest provisional Home Office figures.
MPs overturned 10 changes made by those on the red benches when the Bill was in the Commons on Monday, and Downing Street and ministers have urged the Lords to agree to the legislation in its current form.
Mr Cleverly told the Daily Express: “It has always been illogical to argue the Rwanda scheme won’t work while trying everything and anything politically to ensure it can’t.
“The more this Bill progresses, the more worried Labour get that, as we’ve always said, it will work and the more we’ve anticipated deliberate efforts from Labour to delay, disrupt or sabotage the scheme.
“We remain focused on not letting that happen, and hope their lordships recognise it’s time to let this Bill pass so we can continue to stop the boats, and save lives”.
One opposition peer has issued a rallying cry to Labour peers in a bid to railroad the draft law.
Baroness Jones, a Green Party peer, said: “It is clear from the strength of feeling in the Lords that we can stop this foolish Bill if Labour choose to act and join the opposition.”
The Prime Minister has made stopping migrants arriving in small boats via the English Channel one of the top five priorities for his premiership, with the Rwanda policy seen as a key part of delivering on the pledge.
He has previously set the target of deportation flights setting off for Kigali by the spring.
If the Lords make fresh changes, there is little chance of the Bill clearing Parliament before MPs leave Westminster for the Easter break next Tuesday.
But No 10 officials insist that even if the legislation is not passed until after Easter, the Prime Minister can still meet his goal of having the first planeload of asylum seekers heading to the east African country this spring.
MPs this week voted by majorities ranging from 57 to 78 to reject the series of amendments made to the Bill by peers.
The amendments overturned included an attempt by peers to ensure the Bill complies with domestic and international law, and a requirement that Parliament cannot declare Rwanda to be a safe country until the treaty with its promised safeguards is fully implemented.
Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson described the changes made by peers as “wrecking amendments”.
The proposed legislation seeks to compel judges to regard the east African country as safe in a bid to clear the way to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats on a one-way flight to Rwanda.
Amnesty International UK urged the Lords to “stand firm” against the Bill.
The charity’s chief executive Sacha Deshmukh said: “With the Government pouring millions of pounds of public money down the drain in its pursuit of cruel, unworkable and unlawful asylum policies, the Lords must stand firm in its opposition to this shoddy, shameful Bill.”
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