Two dozen right-wing Tories have written to Rish Sunak warning that his emergency legislation for Rwanda must be “over the top” to avoid last-minute legal problems.
MPs from the New Conservative group, which was formed by those elected in 2019 following the Brexit vote, are calling on the Prime Minister to take a “belt and suspenders” approach to ensure his proposed emergency legislation trumps any legal challenges on rights grounds person. kit.
It comes as 10 approved migrants deported to Rwanda could still be sent back to the UK under revised government proposals.
Mr Sunak is under increasing pressure to ensure his revised plans to stop small boats crossing the English Channel do not clash with the courts after the latest policy was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court.
This was reported by an insider of the New Conservatives party. I that around 24 MPs had signed a letter calling for the bill to be “tightened up and reviewed” to “ensure we get it right the first time”.
Several MPs have warned that failure to keep their promise to stop small boat crossings could lead to defeat for the Tories in the general election.
The faction has three specific demands when it comes to emergency legislation. First, so-called “notwithstanding” clauses should be introduced, which would give legislation the ability to override other legal requirements, such as those related to human rights.
Even more controversially, the legislature actively ignores the Human Rights Act, and the government gives itself the power to block “pajama orders” when last-minute legal action is taken to stop planes from taking off.
The prime minister vowed on Wednesday to press ahead with plans to send asylum seekers arriving on small boats to Rwanda, despite a Supreme Court ruling that the policy is illegal.
The ruling has raised concerns about so-called “refoulement,” where refugees are forcibly resettled in another country under current government plans.
Mr Sunak has since vowed to work out a new deal with the African country, while introducing emergency legislation to prevent future legal challenges.
But Downing Street admitted on Thursday that under the new proposals, migrants sent to Rwanda could still return to the UK if their asylum claims are rejected.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said the “vast majority” of people sent to Rwanda would remain there but could be sent back to the UK in exceptional circumstances.
“There will be a small minority of cases where the UK will have a legal obligation to facilitate a person’s return,” the spokesman said.
“But that will be the case in very specific legal cases.”
The spokesman added: “In the vast majority of cases they will remain in Rwanda, you will see that.”
There would be an “extremely high barrier” for people wanting to return to the UK “as Rwanda is considered safe for the vast majority of people”.
Ministers believe Rwanda’s new legislation will prevent “systematic” legal challenges to the policy, but individual challenges could still be made, raising the possibility of the plans being taken to court again.
“The approach we are seeing where people are questioning the very principle of our policies in Rwanda is being addressed through emergency legislation,” the spokesman said.
“We believe this is the fastest way to get into the air. We believe that addressing these issues will help speed up this process.”