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On Tuesday, the Home Secretary, James Cleverly, will travel to Rwanda to negotiate a new treaty with the country in an attempt to save Rishi Sunak’s deportation plan.
The Prime Minister is working on solidifying the legality of his plan to send asylum seekers to Kigali, as a cabinet minister travels to the African nation following the Supreme Court’s decision against the policy.
The government is preparing emergency legislation to ensure the safety of migrants being sent to Rwanda on one-way flights, as Mr Sunak works to establish the country as a secure destination.
Conservative Party leaders with more traditional views are calling for the Prime Minister to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), citing a “three strikes and you’re out” policy due to past failed attempts to circumvent it.
Legal professionals and nonprofit organizations believe that the effort to begin flights before the 2024 election will not succeed, as the government’s lawyers are reported to have a negative outlook on their attempts to circumvent human rights legislation.
Mr. Cleverly and members of the Conservative party are optimistic that the revised agreement with Rwanda will start to address the concerns that prompted the UK’s top court to declare the deportation scheme to offshore countries illegal.
Before coming to Kigali, Mr. Cleverly expressed that it is evident that Rwanda is a secure nation. The partnership is being rapidly pursued to prevent boats from departing and to rescue lives.
The Supreme Court deemed Rwanda to be unsafe, but the home secretary stated that the court acknowledged the potential for future improvements to address their findings.
He stated, “Rwanda is committed to protecting the rights of refugees, and I am eager to meet with colleagues to finalize this agreement and continue discussing ways to address the worldwide issue of illegal immigration.”
According to the Home Office, Mr. Cleverly will convene with Vincent Biruta, his counterpart, in order to finalize the treaty and deliberate on important future actions. Additionally, he will pay a visit to the genocide memorial in Kigali.
According to sources, high-ranking officials at the Home Office have cautioned the Prime Minister’s office that their “urgent” legislation regarding Rwanda is likely to be unsuccessful.
Lawyers representing the government are allegedly declining to authorize the harshest rendition of the law that would allow for withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by utilizing a “notwithstanding” provision to instruct UK judges to disregard it in instances involving asylum.
Conservative member Sir Robert Buckland cautioned against withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights, stating it would be a reckless move that could jeopardize the Good Friday Agreement. He expressed to the BBC that it would be an unwise action for a conservative party to take.
However, Conservative leader Mark Francois cautioned Mr. Sunak that it may be a “three strikes and you’re out” scenario, and encouraged the PM to disregard the ECHR in regards to the urgent legislation for Rwanda.
The leader of the ERG, speaking to GB News, stated: “Rishi pledged to halt the boats, but has he followed through? We’ve attempted twice already, and now it’s three strikes and you’re out.”
Sacked home secretary Suella Braverman’s mentor John Hayes MP is also demanding that the Tory leader opt out of the ECHR in its emergency Rwanda legislation.
“The leader of the Conservative Party’s Commons Sense Group emphasized the urgency of taking strong actions to ensure that flights to Rwanda are halted. They stressed the need for firmness in this matter,” stated the leader in an interview with The Independent.
The president of the Law Society, Nick Emmerson, stated that the proposal to place British lawyers in Rwanda suggests a lack of trust in the handling of cases there. He also urged the government to acknowledge that the program is most likely beyond fixing.
On a platform formerly known as Twitter, former adviser to Boris Johnson, Dominic Cummings, stated that the “trick” in Rwanda was not intended to occur.
“However, due to the chaotic nature of the Tory-SW1 community, Boris’s ploy to distract them has surprisingly been more successful than intended, and has gained momentum on its own. The new Prime Minister has also adopted it as a legitimate strategy.”
British attorneys may potentially be dispatched to offer guidance to judges in Rwanda, potentially for particular hearings pertaining to asylum cases, in order to guarantee that appeals are approved accurately. However, the Kigali administration is unlikely to agree to any agreement that appears to be a form of legal intervention similar to colonialism.
On Monday, during an interview with BBC Breakfast, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer discussed the issue of processing and mentioned that the Home Office is currently examining it closely.
It has been rumored that Rwanda is seeking additional funds in addition to the already pledged £140m. According to the Sunday Times, the city of Kigali is set to receive an additional payment of £15m.
The UK government has stated that there was no request for additional funding from Rwanda for the treaty. The official spokesperson for the Prime Minister said, “I do not acknowledge the amount of £15m and there has been no demand for extra money from Rwanda, nor has it been offered by the UK government.”
Mr. Cleverly is the third individual serving as Home Secretary to make a trip to Rwanda after Priti Patel signed the original agreement in April of last year. Ms. Braverman also journeyed to Kigali earlier this year.
Source: independent.co.uk