Rwanda: more thoughts

Tonight, the Government presents its Rwanda Bill to the Commons for its 3rd reading.

It will then go to the Lords.

Remember this:

1. Whatever happens in the Lords, what ammemendments are added, the Government cannot use the Government Act to force the policy through in the same Parliament, if the policy was not in the manifesto.

2. Under international law, there is no requirement for a refugee to claim alylum in the first "safe" country they come to.

3. Therefore, under international law there is no illegal immigration.

4. UK Law only reaches out to the extent of UK territorial waters, 12 miles, at which point its either international law or French/Belgian law.

5. Therefore, passing a law in UK Parliament will not have any effect on any authorities outside the UK.

6. The UN has declared that the revised Bill is not compatable with international law.

7. National Governments, including the UK, have to obey domestic and international law.

8. Under this Government, processing of asylum claims has collapsed, so the backlog is the faul of the Government and Home Office, not an actual rise in numbers of immigrants, which over the last decade has dropped.

9. The UK Government is paying Rwanda not to process asylum claims, but to take the refugees. Different from any other country who are paying a 3rd country to process claims. There is no return to the UK.

10. Numbers proposed to be sent, are tiny, about 1,000 migrants. There is 160,000 waiting for processing.

11. Rwanda has said it will not be party to breaking international law. Any strengthening of what is proposed would therefore be unacceptable for Rwanda.

12. This is politics as performative dance, with no point.

13. The UK has accepted refugees from Rwanda.

14. But the UK is legislating that Rwanda is a safe country.

15. Both can't be true.

16. Despite the real threat of death in crossing the Chanel, they still come. THe threat of being sent to Rwanda, even if they hear of it, won't change anything.

17. There are no legal routes to claim asylum before refugees arrive in the UK.

As a policy, it won't work, costs upwards of £300m, breaks international law, puts the most desperate people in danger.