Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick expressed the need for “stronger protections” to avoid continuous legal challenges that could potentially paralyse the asylum scheme…reports Asian Lite News
UK Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick has resigned, citing dissatisfaction with the government’s emergency Rwanda legislation, stating it “does not go far enough” to provide the necessary protections. The proposed bill, aimed at addressing challenges in sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, falls short of meeting the expectations of some members on the Tory right.
In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Jenrick expressed the need for “stronger protections” to avoid continuous legal challenges that could potentially paralyse the asylum scheme.
Jenrick said the prime minister had “moved towards my position” on the emergency legislation, the BBC reported. Despite the prime minister moving towards Jenrick’s position, he deemed the currently proposed legislation insufficient for success, labelling it a “triumph of hope over experience.”
Prime Minister Sunak responded, expressing disappointment in Jenrick’s resignation and asserting that completely ousting the courts would jeopardise the entire scheme. Sunak emphasised Rwanda’s stance on not accepting legislation that could breach international law obligations.
The government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda aims to discourage illegal crossings of the English Channel in small boats. However, legal challenges have consistently delayed the implementation of the scheme, and as of now, no asylum seekers have been sent to Rwanda from the UK.
Jenrick, a key ally of Prime Minister Sunak, considered the emergency legislation as the “last opportunity” to demonstrate the government’s commitment to halting small boat crossings. His resignation is a setback for Sunak, particularly as the government seeks to address migration issues.
Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper characterised Jenrick’s resignation as indicative of chaos within the Tory party and a collapse of Sunak’s leadership. There are speculations among senior figures that Sunak might face a confidence vote from his own MPs, reflecting a challenging political landscape within the Conservative Party.
Reports of Jenrick’s resignation emerged after the government published a draft bill responding to concerns raised by the UK’s Supreme Court. The court had recently ruled the initial plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as unlawful. The draft legislation instructs courts to disregard specific sections of the Human Rights Act, attempting to circumvent the Supreme Court’s judgment. It also directs courts to overlook other British laws and international rules, such as the Refugee Convention, hindering deportations to Rwanda.
Despite these measures, the bill falls short of the desires of some Tory MPs, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman. She and her supporters had called for a more extensive override, including the entire Human Rights Act, the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Refugee Convention, and all other international laws. The bill grants ministers the authority to ignore emergency orders from the European Court of Human Rights but stops short of dismissing the entirety of the ECHR.
The One Nation group, comprising over 100 Tory MPs, cautioned against overriding the ECHR, considering it a red line for many Conservatives. While cautiously welcoming the government’s commitment to international obligations, the group expressed concerns about the bill’s practicalities and sought legal advice.
The draft legislation acknowledges potential incompatibility with the ECHR, leaving room for legal challenges. This highlights the complexity and uncertainty surrounding the government’s strategy to address migration issues and underscores the ongoing internal debates within the Conservative Party.
Rwanda currently hosts more than 135,000 people seeking safety and protection and has a track record of providing that protection and supporting people in thriving in their country.
Sunak said that the “endless scourge” of illegal migration is costing the UK billions of pounds and costing innocent lives, which is why it is important for his government to make it clear once and for all that “it is Parliament that should decide who comes to this country, not criminal gangs”.
“Through this new landmark emergency legislation, we will control our borders, deter people taking perilous journeys across the channel and end the continuous legal challenges filling our courts,” the Prime Minister said.
“And we will disapply sections of the Human Rights Act from the key parts of the Bill, specifically in the case of Rwanda, to ensure our plan cannot be stopped,” he added.
Underpinned by the Treaty, the law will prevent UK courts and tribunals from delaying or preventing a person’s removal to Rwanda, on the grounds that they are at risk of being removed to an unsafe country.
The bill will also make clear that the UK Parliament is sovereign, and the validity of any Act of Parliament is unaffected by international law.
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