UK

UN refugee agency ‘profoundly concerned’ by UK Illegal Migration Bill

Plans for the Bill were outlined by Home Secretary Suella Braverman in the House of Commons on Tuesday

Ms Braverman admitted there is a 'more (than) 50 per cent chance' the legislation may not be compatible with the ECHR. Photograph: Andy Bailey/UK Parliament

Wed Mar 8 2023 - 09:36

A Bill designed to stop people claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means will amount to an “asylum ban”, the UN’s refugee agency has said.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is “profoundly concerned” about the Illegal Migration Bill, which was outlined in the House of Commons yesterday by Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

Vicky Tennant, UNHCR representative to the UK, told BBC’s Newsnight: “We believe it’s a clear breach of the Refugee Convention. And remember, even people with very compelling claims will simply not have the opportunity to put these forward.”

British prime minister Rishi Sunak will go head to head with Labour leader Keir Starmer on Wednesday after Labour described the proposed policy as a “con” that was no more likely to be successful than prior Tory efforts to tackle the migration crisis.

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Rishi Sunak has said that stopping small boats crossing the English Channel was not just one of his government's priorities, but the "people's priority."

The prime minister could be challenged over how the legislation will work in practice and how it might stand up to anticipated legal challenges.

Mr Sunak declared he was “up for the fight” against those opposed to the Illegal Migration Bill and added he was “confident” the Government would win legal battles over the “tough” but “necessary and fair” measures.

Ms Braverman admitted to MPs that there is a “more (than) 50 per cent chance” the legislation may not be compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

Announcing the plans, she said asylum seekers arriving illegally will be 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.

They face a lifetime ban on returning once deported and will never be allowed to settle in the country or gain citizenship.

The Bill’s feasibility has been questioned as plans such as forcibly removing asylum seekers to Rwanda are mired in legal challenges. – PA

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