Peer defends House of Lords' objections to Rwanda
The House of Lords has whole-heartedly launched a campaign to frustrate the Government’s flagship Rwanda Bill today, with a three-hour debate showcasing mass opposition to the new UK-Rwanda treaty.
One peer who promised in advance that he would try and “kill” Rishi Sunak’s Bill altogether, used the debate to argue it is the unelected chamber’s job to frustrate the will of MPs.
Lord Carlile, a crossbench Peer, slammed those who have preemptively criticised the Lords as “unelected nobodies”.
“I have been offended by criticism - some of it aimed at me and others who spoke out on the Rwanda subject - that we are ‘unelected nobodies’ who are simply put here to obey the rule of the democratically elected house.
“My Lords, that is not our role. One of our roles here is to protect democracy - sometimes to protect democracy from itself.
“To ensure that members of the other place, and indeed members of our house, do not overstep the mark, that they do not put is in conflict with the hallowed principle of the separation of powers”.
While Peers will not debate the Rwanda Bill, which caused a huge row for Mr Sunak in the Commons, until next week, this evening they will vote on a motion relating to the treaty underpinning the new Bill.
Peers on the International Agreements Committee have said the treaty signing should be delayed until certain assurances are secured.
Other peers joined Lord Carlile in opposing the key Government police, with Lord Kerr saying he wished to record his “profound objection to an arrangement that is incompatible with our responsibilities under the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 protocol and of course the European Convention on Human Rights”.
He described the Rwanda migrant policy as “unprecedented and unconscionable”.
Labour’s former shadow attorney general, Baroness Chakrabarti, said the Lords will be a “little more muscular than usual” in trying to thwart the will of elected MPs.
Peers also pointed to asylum seekers Britain has taken in from Rwanda on the grounds they may not get fair hearings or avoid torture in their home countries.
The vote will take place at around 7.30pm, before peers debate the substantial Rwanda Bill next week.
Last week Rishi Sunak held an emergency press conference in Downing Street warning Peers not to thwart the will of the people.
Mr Sunak called on Peers to “do the right thing” and not “try to frustrate the will of the people”.
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He told the country: “It’s now time for the Lords to pass this Bill. This is an urgent national priority”.
"The treaty with Rwanda is signed and the legislation which deems Rwanda a safe country has been passed unamended in our elected chamber.
"There is now only one question. Will the opposition in the appointed House of Lords try and frustrate the will of the people as expressed by the elected House? Or will they get on board and do the right thing?"
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