Peers continue to challenge proposed Rwanda Bill, delaying its passage through Parliament

Rishi Sunak has suffered another setback as the House of Lords has once again strongly backed several amendments to his flagship Rwanda Bill, making it increasingly unlikely that the legislation will clear Parliament before Easter.

The proposed law, aimed at sending asylum seekers arriving on small boats across the Channel to Rwanda, has faced strong resistance from the House of Lords. Earlier this week, MPs rejected numerous changes made by peers, but ministers have urged the unelected chamber to allow the bill to proceed without further alterations. However, the Lords remain determined to secure revisions, including pushing back against the plan to limit judicial involvement in the process.

This ongoing stand-off at Westminster means that the Bill may not pass before MPs break for the Easter recess next Tuesday. There have even been claims that dates initially set aside to consider further changes to the Bill before the break have now been “disappeared.”

Lord Coaker, a Labour frontbencher, described the situation as chaotic, saying: “What’s going on – chaos, shambles, no idea. That’s not our fault it’s coming back after Easter, it’s the Government’s own management of its own timetable.” He added that it was part of constitutional convention for the Commons to reflect on the Lords’ suggestions, rather than rejecting them outright.

Despite the delays, No. 10 officials maintain that the Prime Minister’s goal of launching deportation flights to Rwanda this spring is still achievable, even if the Bill is not passed until after the Easter break.

The Bill is seen as crucial for the Government’s plan to overcome legal challenges to the controversial deportation scheme, following a Supreme Court ruling that found the plan to be unlawful. The proposed legislation aims to establish Rwanda as a “safe” destination for asylum seekers and would give ministers the power to override emergency injunctions that could delay deportation flights.

Government law officer Lord Stewart of Dirleton defended the Bill, saying: “We cannot allow people to make such dangerous crossings and we must do what we can to prevent any more lives from being lost at sea.” He also highlighted the financial strain of housing asylum seekers in hotels and argued that the Bill was necessary to avoid overwhelming the UK’s asylum system.

However, the ongoing deadlock in Parliament means that further debates and negotiations will likely continue after the Easter recess.