Diaspora (Commonwealth Union) _ U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced a significant rebellion from lawmakers within his Conservative Party on Tuesday concerning his contentious plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda. This development poses both a challenge to the policy itself and a threat to Sunak’s authority over the divided governing party.
Sunak has positioned the controversial immigration policy as a central element in his bid to win an election this year. To achieve this goal, he needs to unify the Conservative Party, which is currently trailing behind the Labour opposition in opinion polls. However, internal divisions between the liberal and authoritarian factions of the party have erupted over the Rwanda plan. Moderates are concerned that the policy is too extreme, while the party’s right-wing believes it does not go far enough in deterring migration to the U.K.
Prominent right-wing lawmaker Danny Kruger expressed hope for constructive conversations to reach a better resolution. Sunak, in an attempt to appease rebels, has proposed increasing the number of judges hearing asylum appeals to expedite the process.
Sunak contends that the bill pushes the limits of what the government can do, as Rwanda would withdraw from the agreement to rehouse asylum-seekers if the U.K. violates international law. However, Conservative moderates argue that the bill may already skirt legality and have reservations about supporting it if it becomes more stringent. The United Nations’ refugee agency has declared the Rwanda plan “not compatible with international refugee law.”
Opposition parties in the U.K. are against the bill, with Scottish National Party lawmaker Alison Thewliss criticizing it as “irredeemably awful” and unlikely to achieve its objectives.
The Rwanda policy is a crucial element in Sunak’s commitment to “stop the boats” bringing unauthorized migrants across the English Channel from France. A deal between London and Kigali was made almost two years ago, but the policy has faced criticism, legal challenges, and a ruling by the U.K. Supreme Court that deemed it illegal.
The proposed law would enable the government to bypass sections of U.K. human rights law for Rwanda-related asylum claims, making it more challenging to contest deportations in court. While some amendments seeking to strengthen the bill did not pass on Tuesday, about 60 Tories joined the rebellion. The final vote on the bill is scheduled for Wednesday, presenting a significant test for Sunak’s leadership and the fate of the Rwanda plan.
