Rwanda bill – live: Rishi Sunak to resist Lord’s amendment to help Afghan heroes ahead of commons vote next week

Downing Road has declined to recommit to the prime minister’s spring deadline to get deportation flights off the bottom to Rwanda.

Rishi Sunak’s spokesman informed reporters: “Our intention is to get this handed on Monday such that we are able to then set out the timetable for getting flights off as quickly as doable.”

He stated the timetable was initially set out in November “however clearly the invoice has continued to be delayed”.

“I’m not going to get forward of the invoice passing, which clearly we’ve seen once more final evening has continued to be held up.

“We’re working at tempo to make sure these flights go away as quickly as doable. It’s now incumbent on the Lords to cross this Invoice such that we are able to set off the ultimate planning phases and finally cease the boats.”

The federal government won’t be making concessions on modifications to the Rwanda invoice requested by the Home of Lords, Downing Road has indicated.

Friends on Wednesday once more supported an exemption from elimination for many who labored with the UK navy or authorities abroad, resembling Afghan interpreters.

Requested whether or not ministers might transfer on that, the prime minister’s spokesman stated: “The modification is pointless.

“We have already got secure and authorized routes for individuals on this class. It’s one of the crucial beneficiant secure and authorized routes that we’ve in actual fact.

“We’re proud that we’ve relocated over 16,000 individuals to security by way of the scheme thus far.”

He stated the modification would “create an pointless and harmful incentive for these individuals to journey right here illegally, which is exactly what this invoice is making an attempt to keep away from.”

Friends voted on Wednesday evening in favour of an modification to the Security of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Invoice that might exempt Afghan heroes who supported UK troops abroad from being deported.

Commons chief Penny Mordaunt has stated MPs will take into account additional Lords amendments to the Security of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Invoice on 22 April.

Additional time will likely be made out there within the Commons on 23 April if the Lords proceed to make modifications.

The Dwelling Workplace has confirmed a brand new take care of Vietnam to strengthen collaboration on efforts to sort out unlawful migration, together with by way of deterrence communication campaigns and intelligence-sharing.

Vietnamese nationals made up 5 per cent of small boat arrivals within the UK in 2023, up from 1 per cent in 2022 however the identical proportion as in 2021, Dwelling Workplace figures present.

From 2018 to the top of 2023, there have been 3,356 Vietnamese small boat arrivals, placing Vietnam within the prime 10 supply international locations.

Dwelling secretary James Cleverly accused Labour of a “politically cynical” effort to scupper the Rwanda scheme as friends dealt one other blow to the asylum plan.

Labour stated the federal government ought to cease losing money and time on the “hare-brained scheme” which goals to ship some asylum seekers on a one-way journey to Rwanda so as to deter individuals from crossing the English Channel in small boats.

Mr Cleverly stated: “Terrified that the Rwanda scheme will work, and determined to delay or disrupt over 100 votes about stopping the boats, Labour have acted once more to dam the passage of the Rwanda Invoice.

“It’s been one other politically cynical effort by them, who don’t have any different deterrent and no plan to sort out unlawful migration, to frustrate the one answer on supply.

“We need to break the legal individuals smuggling gangs and cease the boats. Labour, uncomfortable with tackling immigration, will clearly cease at nothing to cease the planes”.

Grant Shapps insisted there are already schemes in place to assist Afghan heroes come to the UK as he sought to justify the federal government’s refusal to just accept an modification to the Rwanda invoice that might exempt individuals who have served with British forces being deported to the African nation.

Talking to the BBC’s Radio 4 At present programme, the defence secretary stated: “As defence secretary, I’m immensely eager to make sure that individuals who supported us in Afghanistan are capable of transfer right here. That’s why we’ve a programme of Afghans’ capability to return right here, which has already introduced 16,000 individuals right here.

When it was put to him that there have been a lot of different Afghan heroes who hadn’t been provided asylum, Mr Shapps added: “The way in which to try this is legally – not be permitting individuals who have come right here illegally by way of individuals smugglers to then keep right here.”

Friends voted on Wednesday evening in favour of an modification to the Security of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Invoice that might exempt Afghan heroes who supported UK troops abroad from being deported.