Rwanda Bill battered in the Lords

If you thought the Rwanda Bill was a headache last year, 2024 is shaping up to be no different. Rishi Sunak’s flagship legislation was debated in the House of Lords on Monday night and the government suffered no less than five defeats at the hands of the unelected chamber. While the amendments are likely to be stripped out in the Commons, defeats of such magnitude are likely to delay the implementation of the scheme…

Peers sought to amend the Rwanda Bill in a variety of different ways, by a majority of 102 voting to ensure the legislation is fully compliant with domestic and international law. Another vote, again won by a majority of 102, demanded that parliament does not declare the country ‘safe’ until the treaty signed with Rwanda in December 2023 is fully implemented.

A third amendment, voted on by a majority of 110, demanded the creation of a monitoring mechanism that could check whether Rwanda is safe.