Braverman slams 'unworkable' new Rwanda bill

FORMER home secretary Suella Braverman said on Thursday (7) the government's proposed Rwanda legislation, part of a scheme to try to send thousands of asylum seekers to the East African country, will not work.

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt from the right-wing of his Tory party over efforts to deport migrants to Rwanda, with immigration minister Robert Jenrick quitting on Wednesday (6) after the prime minister set out new draft legislation.

The new bill will instruct judges to ignore some sections of the Human Rights Act (HRA) and provisions of domestic or international law that might deem that Rwanda was not a safe country to send asylum seekers to, though appeals by people based on specific circumstances would still be permitted.

Braverman, Jenrick and their allies say that does not go far enough, with some wanting Britain to leave the European Convention on Human Rights altogether.

"I'm very concerned that the bill on the table will allow a merry-go-round of legal claims and litigation," Braverman told BBC Radio.

"The reality is, and the solid truth is, that it won't work and it will not stop the boats."

The government says the Rwanda scheme would deter migrants from paying people smugglers to ferry them from Europe across the Channel to Britain.

It has been forced to come up with a two pronged strategy to relaunch the Rwanda policy after the Supreme Court ruled it would violate international human rights laws enshrined in domestic legislation.

The government signed a new treaty with Rwanda earlier this week.

(Reuters)