The UK government has narrowly won the vote on its Rwanda bill, avoiding a defeat at the bill's second reading stage. The bill, which aims to address immigration and asylum issues, received support from Conservative MPs, while opposition parties like Labour, SNP, and Lib Dems voted against it. However, there were a significant number of abstentions, indicating potential divisions within the Conservative party. The bill will now proceed to further scrutiny and potential amendments in January.
Senior Tories are warning that Rishi Sunak's emergency Rwanda plan, aimed at deporting migrants arriving in the UK by small boats, will not become law in its current form. Liberal Tories have expressed "serious concerns" about the plan, while a group of legal figures examining the proposals for the Tory right has found problems that are difficult to resolve. Despite Tory whips expecting enough support to win the first vote on Tuesday, there is nervousness among moderate Tories that Sunak's course of action has united his opponents and could jeopardize his leadership. Concerns from both liberal and right-wing factions of the party are hardening against the proposals, with some MPs suggesting a rebellion could defeat the bill.
The UK government's Illegal Migration Bill, aimed at stopping people crossing the Channel in small boats, has been approved by MPs after the government defused a Tory backbench rebellion. The bill will place a legal duty on the home secretary to detain and remove those arriving in the UK illegally, to Rwanda or another "safe" third country, taking legal precedence over someone's right to claim asylum. However, the bill is expected to run into opposition at its next stage in the House of Lords, where it could be heavily amended.
