British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has successfully navigated the passage of his asylum and immigration bill through the House of Commons, despite initial concerns of a rebellion by Conservative Party MPs.
Several MPs within Sunak’s party had expressed opposition to the “Safety of Rwanda” deportation bill, citing concerns over the government’s plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda and the potential legal challenges it may face.
In a surprising turn of events, only 11 hardline Conservatives rebelled, leading to the bill’s passage with a 320-276 vote on Wednesday evening.
Sunak has placed significant emphasis on his anti-immigration “Stop the Boats” campaign, aiming to dissuade asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel to reach the United Kingdom.
However, the Rwanda deportation bill, which aims to deport refugees and migrants to Rwanda for asylum claims and resettlement, has faced significant obstacles.
In November, the Supreme Court rejected Sunak’s original Rwanda bill, deeming Rwanda unsafe for asylum seekers. This prompted the introduction of the “Safety of Rwanda” bill by the Conservative Party leader.
Post from www.aljazeera.com