Rwanda bill latest: Shapps insists he wants to help Afghan heroes despite government blocking Lord’s amendment
Grant Shapps has insisted he is “immensely keen” to help Afghan heroes despite the government repeatedly blocking an amendment to the Rwanda plan that may exempt those that have served with British forces from being deported to the African nation.
The defence secretary mentioned there have been already schemes in place to help these fleeing the Taliban regime as he rejected calls from a number of former Tory army figures to change course on Rwanda bill.
“I am immensely keen to ensure that people who supported us in Afghanistan are able to move here,” he advised the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme. “That’s why we have now a programme of Afghans’ skill to come right here, which has already introduced 16,000 individuals right here.
“The method to do that’s legally – not be permitting individuals who have come right here illegally by way of individuals smugglers to then keep right here.”
The House of Lords final evening snubbed contemporary ministerial calls to again down within the tense stand-off over Rishi Sunak’s asylum plan – and insisted on a requirement that Rwanda can’t be handled as secure till promised protections are in place.
The contemporary setback for means the wrangling will proceed, after MPs once more rejected amendments to the government’s flagship Rwanda Bill, renewing their battle with the Lords.
Peers had on Tuesday voted to amend the laws for a 3rd time, however MPs voted on Wednesday afternoon towards 4 key amendments, together with one to exempt asylum-seekers who aided UK troops abroad, comparable to Afghan particular forces, from deportation to Rwanda.
Downing Street dominated out making concessions on its Safety of Rwanda Bill.
ICYMI: Defiant Lords again Afghan heroes and refuse to move Sunak’s plan to deport asylum seekers
Peers voted on Wednesday evening in favour of an amendment to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill that may exempt Afghan heroes who supported UK troops abroad from being deported.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 12:37
MPs will think about Lords ammendments to Rwanda bill on Monday, Commons chief confirms
Commons chief Penny Mordaunt has mentioned MPs will think about additional Lords amendments to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill on 22 April.
Further time shall be made out there within the Commons on 23 April if the Lords proceed to make adjustments.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 11:30
ICYMI: Home Office minister repeatedly ignores query on whether or not government has airline for Rwanda scheme
Watch: Minister repeatedly ignores query on securing airline for Rwanda flights
Watch as a Home Office minister repeatedly dodges questions on whether or not the government has an airline “ready” to take asylum seekers to Rwanda. Laura Farris appeared on Sky News on Tuesday 16 April to focus on Rishi Sunak’s flagship deportation bill, which is presently bouncing between the House of Commons and the House of Lords in parliament. The prime minister has repeatedly mentioned flights to Kigali will take off by spring, however has refused to title a selected date. Reports have additionally instructed that Rwanda’s state-owned airline turned down a government proposal to transport asylum seekers as a result of it wished to keep away from being related to the controversial scheme. Ms Farris repeatedly sidestepped Kay Burley’s query about whether or not an airline has been secured as she spoke on Tuesday.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 10:57
ICYMI: Britain to hand Rwanda £50m as quickly as deportation bill turns into regulation, Home Office confirms
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 09:54
Home Office confirms take care of Vietnam on strengthening efforts to deal with unlawful migration
The Home Office has confirmed a brand new take care of Vietnam to strengthen collaboration on efforts to deal with 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, Home Office 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.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 09:05
Cleverly accuses Labour of ‘politically cynical’ effort to scupper Rwanda plan
Home 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 mentioned the 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 mentioned: “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 block the passage of the Rwanda Bill.
“It’s been one other politically cynical effort by them, who haven’t any various deterrent and no plan to deal with unlawful migration, to frustrate the one resolution 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”.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 08:50
Shapps insists there are already schemes in place to help Afghan heroes
Grant Shapps insisted there are already schemes in place to help Afghan heroes come to the UK as he sought to justify the government’s refusal to settle for an amendment to the Rwanda bill that may exempt individuals who have served with British forces being deported to the African nation.
Speaking to the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme, the defence secretary mentioned: “As defence secretary, I’m immensely eager to make sure that individuals who supported us in Afghanistan are ready to transfer right here. That’s why we have now a programme of Afghans’ skill to come right here, which has already introduced 16,000 individuals right here.
When it was put to him that there have been plenty of different Afghan heroes who hadn’t been supplied asylum, Mr Shapps added: “The method to do that’s legally – not be permitting individuals who have come right here illegally by way of individuals smugglers to then keep right here.”
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 08:35
In full: Defiant Lords again Afghan heroes and refuse to move Sunak’s plan to deport asylum seekers
Peers voted on Wednesday evening in favour of an amendment to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill that may exempt Afghan heroes who supported UK troops abroad from being deported.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 08:13
The Rwanda bill defined: What is the controversial coverage and what occurs subsequent?
Last evening the House of Lords once more rejected the government’s plan to ship asylum seekers to Rwanda.
But what’s the Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, when was the concept conceived and the way will it work if made regulation?
Here’s all the things we all know in regards to the plan:
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 08:11
Shapps: Government will do ‘whatever we need to’ to get flights off to Rwanda
The government will do “whatever we need to do” to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda, Grant Shapps has mentioned in response to the suggestion the RAF may very well be used for deportation flights.
Asked whether or not he would enable RAF plane to be used, the defence secretary advised Sky News: “We will do whatever we need to do to make sure that we can get these flights off, whether they are charter flights or other kinds of flights.”
He added that which plane took asylum seekers to Rwanda was a “secondary issue”.
Matt Mathers18 April 2024 08:07
