Channel migrants crackdown WILL become law after peers back down

Channel migrants crackdown WILL become law after peers headed by Archbishop of Canterbury back down in late-night battle with the government… and asylum barge finally arrives at Portland

The Channel boats crackdown is set to become law after peers dramatically backed down on their battle with the government.

Efforts spearheaded by the Archbishop of Canterbury to wreck the legislation were finally seen off in a late-night test of strength.

The outcome is a much-needed boost for Rishi Sunak, who has made ‘stopping the boats’ a key promise ahead of the general election.

And he received another piece of good news this morning as the Bibby Stockholm, which has been brought in to house asylum seekers, finally arrived at Portland Port after a refit. 

Parliament had been braced for so-called ‘ping pong’ between the Houses to go to the wire, as the summer recess looms.

The Channel boats crackdown is set to become law after peers dramatically backed down on their battle with the government

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby dropped his demand for a statement on tackling the refugee problem and human trafficking to the UK, after a similar proposal was rejected by MPs

Mr Sunak received another piece of good news this morning as the Bibby Stockholm, which has been brought in to house asylum seekers, finally arrived at Portland Port after a refit

But five further changes sought by peers to the Illegal Migration Bill – including modern slavery protections and child detention limits – were defeated in crunch votes that ended just after midnight.

At least one other vote was ditched in the face of the Government victories.

And Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby also dropped his demand for a statement on tackling the refugee problem and human trafficking to the UK, after a similar proposal was rejected by MPs.

It marked a shock ending to the parliamentary tussle over the flagship reforms that had threatened to go to the wire ahead of the summer recess.

The cessation of the stand-off between the unelected chamber and MPs during so-called ping-pong, where legislation is batted between the Lords and Commons until agreement is reached, paves the way for the Bill to receive royal assent.

The reforms will prevent people from claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means.

The Government also hopes the changes will ensure detained people are promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda, which is currently the subject of a legal challenge.

But the Bill had encountered fierce opposition in the upper chamber, which had been accused of trying to ‘drive a coach and horses’ through the contentious plans.

In turn, the Government faced claims of seeking to deliver a ‘punishment beating’ to peers for challenging the plans.

Ministers had urged the Lords to allow the Bill to become law after signalling no further concessions were planned and MPs again overturned a raft of revisions previously made by the upper chamber.

Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth said the number of small boat arrivals had ‘overwhelmed’ the UK’s asylum system and was costing taxpayers £6 million a day to provide accommodation.

He told peers: ‘With over 45,000 people making dangerous Channel crossings last year this is simply no longer sustainable.

‘If people know there is no way for them to stay in the UK, they won’t risk their lives and pay criminals thousands of pounds to arrive here illegally.

‘It is therefore only right that we stop the boats and break the business model of the criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people, ultimately enabling the Government to have greater capacity to provide a safe haven for those at risk of war and persecution.’

He urged the Lords to ‘respect the will of the elected House and the British people by passing this Bill’.

But while he agreed on the need to stop the small boat crossings, Mr Welby said: ‘I fail to see how this (the Bill) does it and I have not heard anything to convince me.

‘But that is the view of the other place. I agree that in the end on most things except the most essential that this House must give way to the other place.’

He added: ‘The problem with the Bill is that it has not started at the right place. Where it needed to start with is… to have a level of national consensus and agreement on what the aim of our migration policy and immigration policy is in the long-term.’

The Parliamentary showdown came as an accommodation barge set to house 500 migrants belatedly moved into place.

The plans involving the Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland Port, Dorset, are a month behind schedule but the vessel has finally made the journey from Falmouth, Cornwall, where work was being carried out to prepare it for its new role.

Downing Street has defended the use of barges to house migrants, insisting it is a cheaper alternative to housing them in hotels.

The first asylum seekers are expected to board the Bibby Stockholm later this month.

Opening a debate on the Lords proposals earlier last night, Mr Jenrick said that although peers had ‘attempted to smooth the edges of their wrecking amendments, they are still wrecking amendment… that will tie things up in knots’

Opening a debate on the Lords proposals earlier last night, Mr Jenrick said that although peers had ‘attempted to smooth the edges of their wrecking amendments, they are still wrecking amendment… that will tie things up in knots’.

He said there would be no more concessions to the Lords because ‘there is simply no point in passing legislation that does not deliver a credible deterrent and provides the means to back it up with effective and swift enforcement powers.

Mr Jenrick said Justin Welby’s proposal for the Government to work with allies on a 10-year plan for tackling migration was ‘unnecessary’ as ministers are ‘already engaged’ on the issue.

Source: Read Full Article