Lords delay government's Rwanda bill to safeguard Afghan interpreters from expulsion
The government's plans to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda have suffered yet another setback as peers in the House of Lords voted for an amendment to see an exemption for those who have previously worked with the UK military or Government overseas.
The revision to the draft law, which stated that those who have served the British Army, such as Afghan interpreters, should be exempt from deportation to the east African nation, was passed by 247 to 195.
Peers have repeatedly voted in favour of the amendment to the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill to provide such a safeguard, with the Government removing it when the bill returns to the Commons.
The bill as a whole seeks to compel judges to regard Rwanda as safe in a bid to clear the way to send asylum seekers who cross the Channel in small boats there on a one-way flight.
Shadow Home Office minister Stephen Kinnock told the Commons: "We owe a debt of honour and gratitude to the Afghans who so bravely fought alongside British troops and the idea that we might send them to Rwanda is simply unconscionable.
"But Lord Browne's amendment is not only driven by a moral imperative, it is also underpinned by our national interest and by military logic for the simple and obvious reason that the ability of our Armed Forces to recruit local allies will be severely constrained if this bill passes unamended."
Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson sought to downplay concerns, saying: "This Government recognises the commitment and responsibility that comes with combat veterans, whether our own or those who have shown courage by serving alongside.
"I repeat: we will not let them down.
"Section four of the Illegal Migration Act enables the Secretary of State to specify categories of persons to whom the duty to remove will not apply.
"And once the UK's special forces Arap (Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy) review, which was announced on 19 February, has concluded the Government will consider how to revisit our immigration legislation and how to ensure it will apply to those eligible as a result of the review."
Former top military figures had previously urged ministers to exempt those who have fought alongside British troops overseas from deportation to Rwanda.
In a letter, published in the Telegraph, they underscored the debt owed to the "brave men and women" who stood alongside British troops overseas.
Related topics
Join Our Newsletter
