UK’s Rwanda bill is a ‘step towards totalitarianism’, says Lord Carlile
GuardianJan 18
UK: Sunak's Plan to Deport Asylum Seekers to Rwanda Delayed by House of Lords
The Facts
The House of Lords, the UK’s upper chamber of Parliament, on Monday voted against ratifying Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Treaty, a key part of an attempted government policy to deport asylum seekers to the Central African country.
The Lords' motion concerned a recent committee report that concluded Rwanda cannot be deemed a safe place to deport small boat arrivals until "a significant number of further legal and practical steps" are taken. It argued the bill shouldn't come into force until the government implements the report's recommendations.
The Spin
Left narrative
This vote was not merely about the merits or morals of the government's draconian Rwanda policy, but about democracy itself. This treaty seeks to override a Supreme Court ruling that declared Britain cannot guarantee the safety of asylum seekers in Rwanda, thus violating its obligations under international law. Sunak has tried to place himself above the purview of the courts — this kind of behavior risks undermining the role of the judiciary in checking the executive, it must be rejected.
Right narrative
While the UK’s Rwanda policy continues to garner unwarranted criticism, the government has appeased all constitutional concerns and secured a binding agreement with Rwanda that will continue to be carefully monitored. Parliament must, as soon as possible, accept this reality and facilitate plans for illegal immigrants to finally begin boarding planes to Rwanda.
Nerd narrative
There is a 89% chance that Labour will have a majority in the House of Commons after the next UK General Election, according to Metaculus community prediction.
