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Tory rebellion over small boats bill put on hold Ministers see off Tory rebels over migration plans
(about 7 hours later)
A potentially significant Conservative rebellion on the government's Illegal Migration Bill has been put on hold. The government appears to have seen off a rebellion from backbenchers wanting to toughen up new rules for removing migrants.
The controversial legislation - which would prevent anyone coming to the UK illegally from claiming asylum - returns to the Commons later. A group of Conservative MPs had tabled several amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill, ahead of votes in the House of Commons later.
A group of Tory MPs had considered pushing for a vote to close potential loopholes that they believe could prevent the removal of migrants. But they said they expected to withdraw their proposals, after receiving assurances about their concerns.
They will now meet ministers to look at how to tighten up the bill. It follows talks between them and Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
The change of heart is said to have followed MPs meeting for intensive talks with Home Secretary Suella Braverman. The legislation, unveiled earlier this month, would prevent anyone entering the UK illegally from claiming asylum.
The Illegal Migration Bill is designed to help fulfil Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's pledge to "stop the boats". It is central to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's pledge to "stop" small boats crossing the English Channel, but has provoked outrage among charities and opposition parties, which say it breaches international law.
It aims to limit the arrival of migrants travelling on small boats to seek refuge in the UK, as well as people smugglers putting desperate people in the dangerous vessels.
The legislation would see asylum seekers arriving through unauthorised means being detained without bail or judicial review for 28 days before being "swiftly removed" to their home country or a "safe third country" such as Rwanda.
But a group of Conservative MPs had been arguing that the bill didn't go far enough.
What are the legal routes to the UK?What are the legal routes to the UK?
What does Rishi Sunak's promise to stop the boats mean?What does Rishi Sunak's promise to stop the boats mean?
Some have called for ministers to take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to drive through tighter border controls. Some Conservative MPs, however, believe it does not go far enough and tabled a series of amendments aiming to further toughen the bill.
They had been prepared to push for changes this week to prevent courts from stopping the removal of migrants who had arrived by illegal routes, or from potentially ordering the return of migrants who'd been removed. Amendments they were supporting included one aiming to make it harder to challenge removal orders issued by courts.
There were predictions that 40 to 60 MPs could vote with them. Another would mean the duty to remove migrants would apply irrespective of any orders issued by the European Court of Human Right (EHCR).
Mr Sunak and Ms Braverman have both stressed that they think the draft law complies with international obligations and that Britain would not need to exit the ECHR to introduce the plans. The Strasbourg-based court, unpopular on the Tory right, blocked the the removal of migrants to Rwanda last year pending legal challenges.
Mr Sunak unveiled the Illegal Migration Bill earlier this month Devizes MP Danny Kruger said that the group wanted further assurances that the power of the Strasbourg court would be further limited beyond what is already in the draft bill.
But in a letter to MPs following publication of the bill earlier this month, the home secretary conceded there is a "more (than) 50% chance" her legislation may not be compatible with the convention. Writing for the ConservativeHome website along with other rebels, he said they also wanted greater limits on the ability of migrants to challenge removal orders issued by courts.
The government is also facing pressure from other Conservative MPs, and the opposition, to announce more safe and legal routes for migrants. He wrote that the group had been encouraged by "assurances" offered by ministers that their concerns would be addressed ahead of the bill's next stage in the Commons, which is yet to be scheduled.
Tory MP Tim Loughton has proposed an amendment that would force the home secretary to declare "safe and legal routes by which asylum seekers can enter" the UK. "On the expectation of receiving this commitment from ministers in Parliament today, we will not be pushing our amendments to a vote this week," he added.
It has been signed by former Brexit secretary David Davis and Dame Diana Johnson, the Labour chair of the home affairs select committee. It is not yet clear what assurances the MPs have been offered, with Ms Braverman expected to speak in the Commons later.
Organisations including the Refugee Council and Amnesty International say there are no safe and legal routes for most people to seek asylum in the UK. Mr Sunak has made "stopping" small boats one of his top priorities as prime minister
But the Home Office said there were a number of such routes. Meanwhile, a different group of Tory MPs are backing proposals that would force the government to create more safe and legal routes for asylum seekers before the rest of the bill could come into force.
However, some are only available to people from specific countries such as Afghanistan and Ukraine, or British National status holders in Hong Kong. They have been signed by former Brexit secretary David Davis and Dame Diana Johnson, the Labour chair of the home affairs select committee.
The Missing Migrants Project, run by a UN agency, said 292 migrants have been reported dead or missing this year while seeking refuge in Europe. It would contrast with the approach favoured by Mr Sunak, who says getting "a grip on illegal migration" should come first before additional routes are established.
Since June last year, there has been a crime of "illegal arrival" - created by the Nationality and Borders Act 2022. Other amendments supported by this group of Tory rebels include one to grant additional refugee family reunion rights, and one to stop the bill from removing legal restrictions on detaining unaccompanied children.
This means that it is now an offence to physically arrive on the shores of the UK without permission - or to facilitate the arrival of others. This is punishable by up to four years in jail. New powers
More than 45,000 people entered the UK via Channel crossings last year, up from about 300 in 2018.
Under the new bill, people removed from the UK would be blocked from returning or seeking British citizenship in future. Migrants will not get bail or be able to seek judicial review for the first 28 days of detention.
It will also place a legal duty on the home secretary to detain and remove those arriving in the UK illegally, to Rwanda or a "safe" third country - this will take legal precedence over someone's right to claim asylum.
In a letter to MPs following publication of the bill earlier this month, Ms Braverman conceded there is a "more (than) 50% chance" the bill is incompatible with international law.
It is expected to come up against opposition in the House of Lords, and subsequently expected to face a wave of legal challenges, whilst opposition parties have dismissed it as unworkable.
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