Rwanda Bill Delayed After Lords Amendments; First Flights in 10-12 Weeks

Apr 22, 2024, 09:48 AM

The UK government's Rwanda bill, aimed at deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda, faced multiple delays due to opposition in the House of Lords. Despite the Commons voting to reject all Lords amendments, including those proposed by Lord Hope, Lord Browne, and Baroness Chakrabarti, the Lords continued to push for changes, leading to a delay in the bill's passage. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the first deportation flights, initially planned for the spring, are now expected to take off in 10 to 12 weeks. This delay pushes the commencement of flights to July, missing the initial spring target. The ongoing parliamentary 'ping pong' has seen the bill bounce between the two houses, with further votes expected.