- Emergency legislation and Rwanda treaty
- Sunak’s asylum policy challenges
- Legal, financial, and political implications
Rishi Sunak has pledged to enact emergency legislation and establish a new treaty with Rwanda to prevent further obstruction of his flagship asylum policy, deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court.
Sunak stated he would introduce emergency legislation to prevent obstructions and ensure “spring flights will depart as scheduled.”
After the Supreme Court deemed the asylum policy unlawful, the Prime Minister collaborated with Rwanda to address judges’ concerns in a new international treaty, ensuring the “safety” of relocated individuals.
Legal Guarantee
“This will establish a legal guarantee that individuals relocated from the United Kingdom to Rwanda will be safeguarded against expulsion,” he said.
Mr. Sunak emphasized that the legislation would end the legal disputes hindering flights since the proposal’s unveiling in April of last year.
People entering the UK through authorized channels would seek asylum in Rwanda, not the UK.
“I meant it when I said I would bring about a fundamental transformation in our nation,” said Mr. Sunak.
He pledged emergency legislation allowing Parliament to confirm Rwanda’s safety under the new treaty but acknowledged potential legal challenges from the European Court of Human Rights.
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Vow Against Foreign Obstruction
Mr. Sunak vowed not to let a foreign court obstruct flights and, if required, cancel them.
The UK’s highest court ruled that refugees sent to Rwanda faced a “real risk” of return, prompting some MPs to call for withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Mr. Sunak refrained from such withdrawal, expressing confidence in his new strategy despite public skepticism revealed in a YouGov poll.
The UK is expected to compensate Rwanda for the new treaty, having already transferred £140 million.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticized Sunak for wasting taxpayer funds, while some Conservatives, including Suella Braverman and Lee Anderson, called for challenging legal avenues and repatriating migrants immediately.