Downing Street fears any concessions could encourage more migrants to cross the Channel (Image: Getty)
Conceding ground to the House of Lords would “sponsor” the Channel smuggling route, Downing Street has declared.
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Peers refused to back down over excluding asylum seekers who worked with the British military from deportation to Rwanda.
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The Government is still refusing to make any concessions, despite warnings their refusal to do so is “deeply shameful”.
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Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill – designed to save the flagship legislation which could deter migrants from crossing the Channel – will return to the House of Commons on Monday for the fourth round of Parliamentary ping pong.
More than 6,200 migrants have crossed the Channel so far this year (Image: Getty)
Government sources had been expecting the Bill to pass this week, after it was held up in March (Image: Getty)
Government sources had been expecting the Bill to pass this week, after it was first held up in March.
The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “We have one of the most generous safe and legal routes for people in this category.
“The concern with the amendment is you would sponsor and encourage people to make the dangerous crossings… and the people smuggling gangs we’re trying to stop.
“It would sponsor the route we are trying to shut down.”
Asked if he was concerned that excluding Afghan interpreters from deportation to Rwanda could hit the military’s attempts to recruit locals, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: “I don’t think we would accept that.”
Amid concern many migrants also throw their documents into the Channel, Downing Street also said it would be “very hard to verify” who had actually served alongside British forces.
The Centre for Military Justice said: “Despite indicating it might allow a tiny amendment that would exclude those that worked with British forces from the unlawful Rwanda Bill, the Government changed its mind.
“It is deeply shameful.”
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Conservative ministers have accused Labour of “fake concern” over the plight of Afghans who served alongside British Armed Forces.
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer, in a sharp message to Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, said: “My team have worked night and day to find permanent accommodation for circa 25,000 Afghans who the UK have provided sanctuary to without you lifting a finger to help.
“We want them to use safe routes, not undertake lethal channel crossings. Your concern is fake.”
Former military chiefs had, in a letter, warned ministers of a “dereliction of our moral duty, and would do grave damage to our ability to recruit local allies in future military operations”.
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The plea, signed by former Chief of Defence Staffs Lord Houghton and Lord Richards, former First Sea Lord Lord West, former head of the British Army, Lord Dannatt, stated: “We urge ministers to exempt any brave men and women who have fought alongside our Armed Forces or served the British Government overseas from removal to Rwanda under its new scheme.
“As former service personnel and those with close connections to the Armed Forces, we have seen first-hand the enormous courage and dedication shown by the people who have fought alongside us and served British interests abroad, often at huge personal risk, and we take personally Britain's obligation to honour the debt we owe to that cohort.”