MPs once again rejected all the changes made by peers to the Safety of Rwanda Bill last night, with the ping-pong continuing this afternoon. There were six votes yesterday on amendments the Lords wanted to keep in the bill, and a pointed weariness from Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson at the start of the debate. He said:
‘Here we are back again debating the same issues and amendments we have already rejected. We are not quite at the point yet of completing each other’s sentences, but we are almost there.’
Rishi Sunak will be able to blame no-one but himself if there is no change in the number of crossings
The government won all the votes last night with a clear majority, though that was shaved down to 59 on an amendment protecting asylum seekers who had served with the British armed forces from deportation to Rwanda. Only Robert Buckland voted against his party on two amendments: the other rebels abstained.
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