UK Parliament/Maria Unger

Rwanda Bill passes as House of Lords opts not to table further amendments — as it happened

Peers in the House of Lords have decided not to oppose the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill in a major victory for Rishi Sunak.

The bill will now go for royal assent, the final step before it becomes law.

Late Monday evening, MPs voted 312-237 to reject the final Lords amendment to the legislation, sending the bill back to the upper chamber for peers to consider.

Peers then refused to push further amendments, yielding to the elected chamber.

The final Lords amendment, tabled by crossbencher Lord Anderson, sought to establish a monitoring committee to consult the government on whether Rwanda is safe, with a report thereby published.

MPs also voted to overturn two other House of Lords amendments to the Rwanda Bill earlier on Monday afternoon.

The Lords had refused to pass the Rwanda Bill, digging its heels in on two issues:

  1. Ensuring that Rwanda is not declared safe until an independent monitoring committee at work in the country confirms as much.
  2. 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.

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The final amendment from Lord Anderson picked up on the former point, while Lord Browne ultimately opted not to move his amendment on the latter provision in the second-to-last Lords stage after exacting a government concession.

On Monday 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.

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12.10 am — The contents have it…

The Rwanda Bill has now cleared all of its parliamentary stages as the House of Lords adjourns.

The bill will now go for royal assent, the final step before it becomes law.

12.01 am — Labour shadow Home Office minister Lord Coaker says his party in the Lords was never going to block the Rwanda Bill:

The role of the House of Lords will be to challenge a Labour government at that time, which hopefully will come in place, but they will not seek to block or undermine the elected will of the people. Which is not what we’ve sought to do.

🚨 11.53 pm — And it’s over…

Ping-pong comes to an end as Lord Anderson concedes. He tell the Lords:

Many people, some of them perhaps still watching even now, will have wished us to keep on fighting. But without the threat of double insistence, which remains part of our constitutional armoury but did not command the necessary political support on this occasion, there would have been no point in doing so.

11.48 pm — The House of Lords is sitting again amid reports that no further amendments have been tabled. It would seem that it’s all over…

11.32 pm — Clock-off (I wish I could)…

11.19 pm — Still waiting…

10.42 pm — What happens now?

A commons “reasons committee”, chaired by illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson, is currently drawing up reasons behind MPs’ decision to reject Lord Anderson’s amendment.

We then head back to the Lords. Peers must choose whether to insist on this amendment, seek other changes, or yield entirely to the elected House.

🚨 10.35 pm — MPs vote by 312-237 to reject Lord Anderson’s amendment to the Rwanda Bill, sending the legislation back to the House of Lords for peers to consider.

The amendment from crossbencher Lord Anderson sought to establish a monitoring committee to consult the government on whether Rwanda is safe, with a report thereby published.

The key question now is thus: will the Lords insist on this, seek other changes or yield entirely?

10.25 pm — Division! MPs are now voting on Lord Anderson’s amendment.

10.17 pm — SNP home affairs spokesperson Alison Thewliss says:

“I was quite disappointed to hear the Labour Lords caving on the Afghan amendment and if they think that this is some kind of concession, I’ve got some magic beans to sell them. … Honestly, it’s pathetic”

10.15 pm — Former Conservative cabinet minister Robert Buckland, who previously voted in favour of both Lords amendments, says he will not vote for Lord Anderson’s amendment:

“There does come a time when the unelected House does have to cede to the authority of the elected House and I think we are now approaching that moment”

10.05 pm — MPs are back debating Rwanda amendments.

Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson says, “There is nothing new in these amendments, these amendments have already been rejected, enough is enough.”

Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock says the government has been dragged “kicking and screaming” to right position on Afghan interpreters.

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:

‘Once this review of ARAP decisions for those with credible links to Afghan specialist units has concluded, the Government will not remove to Rwanda those who received a positive eligibility decision as a result of this review when they are already in the UK as of today’

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

The Rwanda deportation plan may secure a series of symbolic flights — but Sunak’s “Stop the boats” promise could soon become a reminder of a failure, incessantly quoted at the prime minister as he tours the country in a general election campaign.

Full article here:

Politics@Lunch: Sunak’s Rwanda gamble comes with serious risks

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.

Our resources and services are reaching their limits. We must put an end to it. We must pass this legislation and stop the boats. I urge this House once again to send an unambiguous message to the other place. The time has come for the Labour Lords to respect the views of this House and let this bill now pass.

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 morning. Eek.

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 the controversial legislation “no matter how late [the debate] goes”

Stay with us and we’ll bring you all the latest developments as they unfold.

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