Rwanda Bill LIVE: Rishi Sunak says first flights to leave in 10 to 12 weeks as he gives press conference
Rishi Sunak is setting out how he intends to get the first flights carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda off the ground as he puts further pressure on the Lords to end resistance to the scheme.
The Prime Minister is using a press conference to outline a “robust” operational plan ahead of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill’s final showdown in Parliament.
Senior minister Andrew Mitchell suggested the objections of peers “border on racism” and claimed Rwanda’s capital Kigali was safer than London.
Weeks of parliamentary back-and-forth are set to come to a head on Monday night.
The Government has vowed to keep Parliament sitting late into the night if necessary to pass the Bill, which it sees as vital to the Prime Minister’s pledge to “stop the boats”.
Peers have repeatedly blocked the legislation with a series of amendments, stretching debate on the “emergency legislation” over more than four months and delaying flights taking asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Downing Street is hostile to the idea of making concessions to secure the passage of the Bill, leading to a deadlock with the Lords.
For the latest updates please scroll down
Rishi Sunak to give press conference as Rwanda bill returns to Parliament
10:16 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Rishi Sunak is to hold a press conference at 10.30am, where he will set out plans for getting flights carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda off the ground.
Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell told ITV’s Good Morning Britain the Prime Minister will give details of the “operational plan”.
Mr Mitchell said the Government’s illegal migration operations committee is meeting at No 10 this morning.
“Then the Prime Minister will be holding a press conference to set out the operational plan, but I can assure you that the operational plans are robust, sensible and should work,” he said.
We’ll be bringing you all you need to know as the Prime Minister’s delivers his announcement on the controversial scheme.
PM’s press conference comes ahead of crucial night in Parliament for Rwanda bill
10:21 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Weeks of parliamentary back-and-forth are set to come to a head tonight.
The Government has vowed to keep Parliament sitting late into the night, if necessary, to pass the Rwanda bill, which it sees as vital to the Prime Minister’s pledge to “stop the boats”.
Peers have repeatedly blocked the legislation with a series of amendments, stretching debate on the “emergency legislation” over more than four months and delaying flights taking asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Downing Street is hostile to the idea of making concessions to secure the passage of the Bill, leading to a deadlock with the Lords.
The Bill is intended to overcome the objections of the Supreme Court, by forcing judges to treat Rwanda as a safe country for asylum seekers and allowing ministers to ignore emergency injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights.
Last week saw peers amend the Bill yet again to include an exemption for Afghan nationals who assisted British troops and a provision meaning Rwanda could not be treated as safe unless it was deemed so by an independent monitoring body.
This evening, MPs are expected to vote to overturn those changes before sending the Bill back to the House of Lords, where some peers may attempt to insist on their amendments again.
If so, the Bill would return to the Commons late tonight for a further vote and then return once again to the Lords in a process known as “ping pong”, which could last well past the Commons’ usual 10.30pm finish.
Sunak pictured meeting with Illegal Migration Operations Committee at Downing Street
10:32 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Rishi Sunak has met with members of the Illegal Migration Operations Committee at Downing Street this morning, ahead of his imminent press conference and tonight’s attempt to get the Rwanda bill through Parliament.
Press conference pushed back slightly
10:33 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Prime Minister is now due to give his press conference around 10.35am.
Rwanda is a ‘safe country’, Sunak tells illegal migration operations committee
10:36 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Rishi Sunak told a meeting of the Government’s illegal migration operations committee this morning that the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill sends a “clear message” illegal migrants will not be able to stay in the UK.
He told the committee said there must be “no more delay”.
He added Rwanda is a “safe country”, and said his “landmark legislation” comes after “months and months of hard work and planning”.
“This bill sends a clear message; if you come here illegally, you won’t be able to stay,” he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Home Secretary James Cleverly were also present at the meeting.
‘Enough is enough’ says Sunak as press conference begins
10:37 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Rishi Sunak has begun his press conference.
He says after opponents have “used every trick in the book” to block the Rwanda bill and flights, “enough is enough”.
‘No foreign government will stop us from getting flights off’, says Sunak
10:40 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Prime Minister says the first flight to Rwanda “will leave in 10 to 12 weeks”.
“We’ve put an airfield on standby, booked commercial charter planes…and we have 500 highly trained individuals ready to escort illegal migrants all the way to Rwanda with 300 more trained in the coming weeks,” he said.
He described it as “one of the most complex operational endeavours the Home Office has carried out”.
“These flights will go come what may,” he said.
“No foreign court will stop us from getting flights off.”
Sunak says there will be ‘regular rhythm’ of flights to Rwanda ‘until the boats are stopped
10:42 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Prime Minister says that beginning in 10 to 12 weeks’ time, there will be a “regular rhythm of multiple flights [to Rwanda] every month…until the boats are stopped”.
‘Systematic deterrent’ needed to crack down on people smuggling, says PM
10:44 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Mr Sunak says “a systematic deterrent” is needed to clamp down on criminal gangs behind the “deplorable” trade of people smuggling.
“The only way to stop the boats is to eliminate the incentive to come, by making it clear that if you arrive here illegally you will not be able to stay,” he said.
PM refuses to specify number likely to be flown to Rwanda, but stresses ‘multiple flights’ will leave monthly
10:50 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Asked by a reporter about Prime Minister has declined to go into details about the exact numbers of migrants who are expected to be deported to Rwanda.
He instead stressed the “enormous amount of prep work” that has gone into the scheme, including booking planes for the first flights to Rwanda.
But he added: “This is not just about one flight. This is about…multiple flights every month through the summer and beyond, because that’s how you build a sustainable deterrent.
“It’s about putting a system in place…until the boats have stopped. That’s what our plans will deliver.”
‘I’m not going to let a foreign court block us’, says Sunak
10:54 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Asked if the UK will have to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in order to push through the Rwanda plans, Mr Sunak said: “I’m confident that we’re acting in a way that is completely compliant with all our international obligation.
“We’re a reasonable people trying to do a reasonable thing,” he said.
But he added that his patience has “worn pretty thin”, and added: “Now’s the time for the flights to go.
“I’m not going to let a foreign court block us from…getting the flights up and running.”
