Rishi Sunak has said his latest plans to get his flagship migration policy off the ground will “block every single reason that has ever been used to prevent the flights”.
Speaking from Downing Street, the Prime Minister said he would “not allow a foreign court to block Rwanda policy”.
The plan would see migrants who are deemed to have arrived to the UK illegally sent to the African nation.
Sunak admitted that the European Court of Human Rights could still challenge the law and try to block flights under his proposals but promised he wouldn’t let that happen.
It comes just a day after his immigration minister resigned over emergency legislation aimed at reviving the key immigration policy was published.
Robert Jenrick said the PM’s plans did not go far enough.
The bill will declare Rwanda a safe third country following concerns raised by the UK Supreme Court which ruled the plans were lawful.
Sunak defended his new proposals and said that going any further would mean “the entire scheme will collapse”.
The Prime Minister said: “Today the Government has introduced the toughest anti-illegal immigration law ever.
“I know that it will upset some people and you will hear a lot of criticism about it, so it’s right to explain why I have done this.”
He said the UK Government’s proposed new immigration law would “restore people’s trust that the system is fair”.
The law has also been criticised by former home secreatry Suella Braverman who said the law did not go far enough, saying it would need to override international conventions in order to succeed.
But Sunak said the Safety of Rwanda Bill “blocks every single reason that has ever been used to prevent flights to Rwanda from taking off”.
“The only extremely narrow exception will be if you can prove with credible and compelling evidence that you specifically have a real and imminent risk of serious and irreversible harm,” he said.
He added that failing to recognise that would “undermine the treaty” signed with Rwanda.
The Kigali government has stressed the need for the new UK legislation to be compatible with international law.
Sunak said: “If we go any further the entire scheme will collapse and there is no point having a Bill with nowhere to send people to.”
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