On Tuesday, Labour will propose a vote in parliament that calls for the disclosure of papers concerning the UK government’s deportation policy towards Rwanda. This is in response to allegations from Conservative moderates that Rishi Sunak has committed to honoring international agreements.
The upcoming vote, included in a modest request during the opposition day discussion in the House of Commons, will request access to any records disclosing the expenses of moving each asylum seeker to Rwanda, along with a breakdown of all payments already made or planned to be made to the Rwandan government.
The request also includes the UK government’s detailed report on the 35,000 asylum decisions made in the previous year and a complete version of the confidential agreement made with the east African nation.
The opposition spokesperson for home affairs expressed disapproval of the government’s lack of transparency regarding the expenses of the Rwanda program, deeming it completely unacceptable.
Yvette Cooper urged the Conservatives to be transparent about the actual expenses and issues at hand instead of prolonging this state of confusion. According to her, the expenses have already reached £400 million of taxpayers’ money, with more home secretaries being sent to Kigali than asylum seekers. She also believes that this solution will only benefit less than 1% of those entering the UK.
The Labour party’s action will aim to highlight divisions among the Conservatives regarding the safety of the Rwanda bill. This is a proposed law that Sunak believes will prevent future legal disputes over the policy. The bill is set to be discussed in the House of Commons again next week.
During an interview with the New Statesman, Damian Green, the leader of the moderate One Nation group, discussed concerns from the conservative right. Green stated that Rishi Sunak had personally assured him that he would not reject all appeals or violate international laws, such as the European Convention on Human Rights.
“The prime minister made direct eye contact with me and stated that he is unwilling to proceed any further,” Green informed the magazine. “The prime minister has come close to meeting my standards of acceptability.”
The majority of our members supported a second reading with the clear directive of “stop here and do not proceed further”, which is contrary to what some colleagues on the right side of the party are pushing for.
Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, announced that Members of Parliament will review the legislation on January 16 and 17.
On Sunday, the BBC reported that it had reviewed documents from No 10 dated March 2022, a month prior to the announcement of the Rwanda plan by former prime minister Boris Johnson. These documents revealed that Sunak was uncertain about the consequences of deporting individuals to Kigali.
Ignore the advertisement for the newsletter.
after newsletter promotion
According to the records, he also showed worry about the expenses associated with sending asylum seekers to Africa and desired to restrict the amount of individuals being sent.
During a press conference on Monday, Sunak emphasized the significance of the Rwanda policy and refuted any claims that he had previously stated he would eliminate it. However, he did not deny that it was something he had considered. Sunak clarified, “I did not say I was going to get rid of it. That is completely untrue. Of course, I did not.”
Sunak, in his role as chancellor, stated that it was his responsibility to thoroughly inquire about and monitor the use of taxpayers’ money. Ultimately, he supported the policy due to his belief in its effectiveness and emphasized the need for a deterrent against illegal immigration.
Some members of the Conservative party who hold more conservative views have expressed their intention to make changes or potentially reject the bill if it is not made stricter before it is presented to Members of Parliament again. Sunak stated that he would be open to suggestions on how to enhance the bill, but also noted that his entire party is in favor of the legislation.
Source: theguardian.com
