The British government announced, on March 21st, 2024, the postponement of the vote on the law regarding the expulsion of migrants to Rwanda. On Tuesday, the upper house of Parliament approved seven amendments to this controversial bill.
The British government is delaying its “Rwanda” law. The Minister for Parliamentary Relations confirmed this on March 21, 2024. The law aims to recognize Rwanda as a safe country, thereby allowing the relocation of the asylum application system there.
On Tuesday evening, the House of Lords in the UK Parliament passed seven amendments to the Rwanda bill. One amendment mandates that the UK “respect international conventions,” while another permits individuals to appeal their expulsion to Kigali. A third amendment establishes a mechanism to verify the living conditions in Rwanda. The government views these amendments as weakening the bill.
Electoral Blow for the Conservative Party
This is the second time the Lords have heavily amended the bill. The government hoped that parliamentary back-and-forth would wear down their desire for modification and even expected to receive royal assent this week. It aimed to keep its promise of sending the first planes of asylum seekers to Rwanda by the end of spring. The Conservative Party was counting on this move to gain some points in the polls.
However, with this setback, MPs will not be able to reconsider the text until April 15th, after the spring break. Even if both chambers agree on a common version then, it makes implementing the relocation of the asylum system to Rwanda before the early May local elections impossible.
In this political setback, the intricacies of parliamentary procedures intersect with electoral calculations, underscoring the challenges and complexities of immigration policy in the UK.