Tory MPS in late-night pledge over Rwanda law
SUPPORTERS of the Government’s flagship plan to send migrants to Rwanda are prepared to work through the night this week so the first flights can take off this spring.
Conservative MPS are determined to overturn the House of Lords’ changes to legislation designed to stop the scheme being derailed by legal challenges.
They want to get the scheme in place before the summer surge in small-boat crossings. More than 5,000 people have already made the trip this year.
It is two years ago today since then-pm Boris Johnson unveiled the Rwanda plan. The inaugural flight was grounded in June 2022 and in November the Supreme Court struck down the plan as unlawful.
But legislation to establish Rwanda as a safe country will come before MPS tomorrow and Tories hope they can secure its passage through Parliament this week.
Former minister
Brendan Clarke-smith said: “MPS are prepared to work through the night to get this Bill passed because they understand what is at stake. The Labour Lords should abandon their wrecking tactics so we can get the law on to the statute books and get flights off to Rwanda without delay.
“We need a deterrent to stop people smugglers herding migrants on to these dangerous boats.”
But Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, denounced the Rwanda scheme as a chaotic and expensive “gimmick” which would deny those fleeing danger a chance to “rebuild their lives”.
However, a Government source said: “It’s not fair for the British people, who play by the rules, to shoulder the burden of those who break the rules to come here illegally.”