Peers have voted 240-211 in favour of an amendment to the Rwanda Bill, sending the legislation back to the House of Commons for MPs to consider.
The amendment from crossbencher Lord Anderson seeks to establish a monitoring committee to consult the government on whether Rwanda is safe, with a report thereby published.
It comes after MPs voted to overturn two House of Lords amendments to the Rwanda Bill this afternoon.
The Lords has so far refused to pass the Rwanda Bill and had previously dug their heels in on two issues:
Amendments on these points, in the names of Lord Hope and Lord Browne respectively, were rejected by MPs this afternoon.
The latest amendment from Lord Anderson picks up on the former point. Lord Browne did not move his amendment in the latest Lords stage after a government concession.
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This morning, prime minister Rishi Sunak said flights to Rwanda have been booked and will take off by July, “no ifs, no buts” at a Downing Street news conference.
Sunak told the surprise conference the first flight carrying asylum seekers would leave for Rwanda in 10-12 weeks.
9.49 pm — Health minister Helen Whately is now wrapping up the House of Commons debate on hospices, so Rwanda ping-pong will resume shortly.
9.02 pm — MPs are currently in the middle of a debate about hospices, so it may be some time before the Rwanda Bill is reconsidered.
8.44 pm — The Lords votes 240-211 in favour of Lord Anderson’s amendment to the Rwanda Bill.
The amendment seeks to establish a monitoring committee to *consult* the government on whether Rwanda is safe, with a report to be published.
Still potentially a long night ahead. Back to the commons we go.
8.27 pm — Lord Anderson moves his amendment and peers are now voting.
8.19 pm — Labour shadow minister Lord Coaker says his party will support Lord Anderson’s amendment:
“We haven’t got a majority in here to block anything. We have to have the support of crossbenchers, Tory peers abstaining or disappearing.
“It’s about all of us believing the bill is wrong standing together”
8.10 pm — Lib Dem peer Lord German has said peers are “doing the proper job” and blamed the government for the slow pace of the Rwanda Bill.
“The reasons we are debating for pressing these very important safeguards on this parliament and on this House are so important”, he said.
7.55 pm — Lord Carlile of Berriew has urged the government to “stop the boasts, because this is not stopping the boats”.
He said: “If you tried to book a holiday and the travel agent said to you it is a beautiful island but there is no property for you to stay in and we’re not sure you can get there, you can think that travel agent was mad.
“But that is a fair metaphor for the government’s behaviour on this bill.”
7.45 pm — Labour peer Lord Browne of Ladyton has said a “concession” had finally been offered and invited Lord Sharpe to read the relevant passage.
Lord Sharpe responded:
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Government in Afghanistan in exposed or meaningful roles and may include an offer of relocation to the UK for those deemed eligible.
7.34 pm — Crossbencher Lord Anderson of Ipswich proposes an amendment for a monitoring committee to be “consulted” in declaring Rwanda safe, thus watering down a previous amendment from Lord Hope which called for the committee’s conclusion to be binding.
“[The Rwanda scheme’s] costs will be measured not only in money, but in principles debased”, he says.
7.25 pm — Home Office minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom speaks in the House of Lords.
He says: “I’m very grateful to noble Lords on all sides of the House for the careful consideration of this bill”.
“We must now accept the will of the elected House and get this bill onto the statute book”.
7.11 pm — Labour peer and human rights lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy has said that airlines could face “serious jeopardy” if they agree to fly migrants to Rwanda as proposed in the Rwanda Bill, adding airlines’ insurers, “are going to be very anxious about underwriting this stuff”.
Speaking on Tonight with Andrew Marr on LBC, Baroness Kennedy also said that she believes peers are being asked to vote “for a lie” in deeming that Rwanda is a safe country.
7.00 pm — The House of Lords has now adjourned, but will reconvene soon to consider the House of Commons’ message regarding the rejected Rwanda Bill amendments.
6.41 pm — What’s happening now?
The reasons committee, chaired by illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson, is currently drawing up reasons behind MPs’ decision to reject both amendments that were tabled by the Lords.
6.20 pm — ICYMI: Sunak’s Rwanda gamble comes with serious risks
Full article here:
5.50 pm —
5.45 pm — MPs are now voting on whether a committee should be drawn up to provide reasons to the Lords for rejecting its amendments.
The bill will then be sent back to the Lords, where some peers may attempt to insist on their amendments.
5.43 pm — MPs vote 305-234 to reject Lord Browne’s amendment.
The amendment sought to exempt those who have served and helped British forces abroad from deportation — animated by concern about protecting Afghan interpreters.
5.30 pm — MPs are now voting on the House of Lords amendment to the Rwanda Bill which would exempt people from deportation who have served and helped British forces abroad.
5.28 pm —
MPs vote 306-229 to reject Lord Hope’s amendment to the Rwanda Bill.
The amendment sought to establish a monitoring committee to adjudicate on whether Rwanda is safe.
5.13 pm — MPs are now voting on the House of Lords amendment to the Rwanda Bill which would mean Rwanda could only be treated as a safe country if it is deemed so by an independent monitoring body.
4.52 pm — Conservative MP Sir Jeremy Wright, a former attorney general, signals he will rebel by voting for Lord Hope’s amendment.
The amendment seeks to establish a monitoring committee to adjudicate on whether Rwanda is safe.
4.30 pm — Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson opens the debate.
He tells MPs: “Criminal gangs are determined who comes to the United Kingdom as vulnerable people are being lured into unseaworthy boats and risking their lives. Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is being spent on illegal migration.
4.20 pm — MPs have begun debating the amendments to the Rwanda Bill submitted by the Lords last week.
The House of Commons is expected to reject the changes requested by peers and the legislation will then “ping pong” between the two houses.
The debates could go on until the early hours of the night.
4.00 pm — Good afternoon and welcome back to “Politics Live”, Politics.co.uk’s rolling coverage of the day’s key moments in Westminster and beyond. Here you can keep up to date with today’s major parliamentary debates, press conferences and news events in real time.
Here’s what’s happening today:
Stay with us and we’ll bring you all the latest developments as they unfold.
The post Rwanda Bill showdown: Amendment passes Lords as MPs prepare for further debate appeared first on Politics.co.uk.
The amendment from crossbencher Lord Anderson seeks to establish a monitoring committee to consult the government on whether Rwanda is safe, with a report thereby published.
It comes after MPs voted to overturn two House of Lords amendments to the Rwanda Bill this afternoon.
The Lords has so far refused to pass the Rwanda Bill and had previously dug their heels in on two issues:
- Ensuring that Rwanda is not declared safe until an independent monitoring committee at work in the country confirms as much.
- Exempting people who have served and helped British forces abroad.
Amendments on these points, in the names of Lord Hope and Lord Browne respectively, were rejected by MPs this afternoon.
The latest amendment from Lord Anderson picks up on the former point. Lord Browne did not move his amendment in the latest Lords stage after a government concession.
***Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website, providing comprehensive coverage of UK politics. Subscribe to our daily newsletter here.***
This morning, prime minister Rishi Sunak said flights to Rwanda have been booked and will take off by July, “no ifs, no buts” at a Downing Street news conference.
Sunak told the surprise conference the first flight carrying asylum seekers would leave for Rwanda in 10-12 weeks.
POLITICS LATEST:
9.49 pm — Health minister Helen Whately is now wrapping up the House of Commons debate on hospices, so Rwanda ping-pong will resume shortly.
9.02 pm — MPs are currently in the middle of a debate about hospices, so it may be some time before the Rwanda Bill is reconsidered.
8.44 pm — The Lords votes 240-211 in favour of Lord Anderson’s amendment to the Rwanda Bill.
The amendment seeks to establish a monitoring committee to *consult* the government on whether Rwanda is safe, with a report to be published.
Still potentially a long night ahead. Back to the commons we go.
8.27 pm — Lord Anderson moves his amendment and peers are now voting.
8.19 pm — Labour shadow minister Lord Coaker says his party will support Lord Anderson’s amendment:
“We haven’t got a majority in here to block anything. We have to have the support of crossbenchers, Tory peers abstaining or disappearing.
“It’s about all of us believing the bill is wrong standing together”
8.10 pm — Lib Dem peer Lord German has said peers are “doing the proper job” and blamed the government for the slow pace of the Rwanda Bill.
“The reasons we are debating for pressing these very important safeguards on this parliament and on this House are so important”, he said.
7.55 pm — Lord Carlile of Berriew has urged the government to “stop the boasts, because this is not stopping the boats”.
He said: “If you tried to book a holiday and the travel agent said to you it is a beautiful island but there is no property for you to stay in and we’re not sure you can get there, you can think that travel agent was mad.
“But that is a fair metaphor for the government’s behaviour on this bill.”
7.45 pm — Labour peer Lord Browne of Ladyton has said a “concession” had finally been offered and invited Lord Sharpe to read the relevant passage.
Lord Sharpe responded:
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Government in Afghanistan in exposed or meaningful roles and may include an offer of relocation to the UK for those deemed eligible.
7.34 pm — Crossbencher Lord Anderson of Ipswich proposes an amendment for a monitoring committee to be “consulted” in declaring Rwanda safe, thus watering down a previous amendment from Lord Hope which called for the committee’s conclusion to be binding.
“[The Rwanda scheme’s] costs will be measured not only in money, but in principles debased”, he says.
7.25 pm — Home Office minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom speaks in the House of Lords.
He says: “I’m very grateful to noble Lords on all sides of the House for the careful consideration of this bill”.
“We must now accept the will of the elected House and get this bill onto the statute book”.
7.11 pm — Labour peer and human rights lawyer Baroness Helena Kennedy has said that airlines could face “serious jeopardy” if they agree to fly migrants to Rwanda as proposed in the Rwanda Bill, adding airlines’ insurers, “are going to be very anxious about underwriting this stuff”.
Speaking on Tonight with Andrew Marr on LBC, Baroness Kennedy also said that she believes peers are being asked to vote “for a lie” in deeming that Rwanda is a safe country.
7.00 pm — The House of Lords has now adjourned, but will reconvene soon to consider the House of Commons’ message regarding the rejected Rwanda Bill amendments.
6.41 pm — What’s happening now?
The reasons committee, chaired by illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson, is currently drawing up reasons behind MPs’ decision to reject both amendments that were tabled by the Lords.
6.20 pm — ICYMI: Sunak’s Rwanda gamble comes with serious risks
Full article here:
5.50 pm —
5.45 pm — MPs are now voting on whether a committee should be drawn up to provide reasons to the Lords for rejecting its amendments.
The bill will then be sent back to the Lords, where some peers may attempt to insist on their amendments.
5.43 pm — MPs vote 305-234 to reject Lord Browne’s amendment.
The amendment sought to exempt those who have served and helped British forces abroad from deportation — animated by concern about protecting Afghan interpreters.
5.30 pm — MPs are now voting on the House of Lords amendment to the Rwanda Bill which would exempt people from deportation who have served and helped British forces abroad.
5.28 pm —
The amendment sought to establish a monitoring committee to adjudicate on whether Rwanda is safe.
5.13 pm — MPs are now voting on the House of Lords amendment to the Rwanda Bill which would mean Rwanda could only be treated as a safe country if it is deemed so by an independent monitoring body.
4.52 pm — Conservative MP Sir Jeremy Wright, a former attorney general, signals he will rebel by voting for Lord Hope’s amendment.
The amendment seeks to establish a monitoring committee to adjudicate on whether Rwanda is safe.
4.30 pm — Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson opens the debate.
He tells MPs: “Criminal gangs are determined who comes to the United Kingdom as vulnerable people are being lured into unseaworthy boats and risking their lives. Billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money is being spent on illegal migration.
4.20 pm — MPs have begun debating the amendments to the Rwanda Bill submitted by the Lords last week.
The House of Commons is expected to reject the changes requested by peers and the legislation will then “ping pong” between the two houses.
The debates could go on until the early hours of the night.
4.00 pm — Good afternoon and welcome back to “Politics Live”, Politics.co.uk’s rolling coverage of the day’s key moments in Westminster and beyond. Here you can keep up to date with today’s major parliamentary debates, press conferences and news events in real time.
Here’s what’s happening today:
- It’s the Rwanda Bill’s final parliamentary showdown as the prime minister vows to pass controversial legislation “no matter how late [the debate] goes”
Stay with us and we’ll bring you all the latest developments as they unfold.
The post Rwanda Bill showdown: Amendment passes Lords as MPs prepare for further debate appeared first on Politics.co.uk.