The Lords will not block the Bill but could delay it through further rounds of “ping-pong” either next week or after Easter, depending on the size of any majorities, in favour of further amendments.
Mr Tomlinson rejected amendments seeking to ensure the Bill complied with domestic and international law by saying there was nothing in the Bill that breached it. He warned that changes to introduce independent checks on the safety of Rwanda would allow “lengthy legal challenges which will delay removal”.
He said Lords’ amendments to extend the right of appeal would lead to “systematic legal challenges” that would “frustrate and delay” removals, warning they were “unnecessary” and would “completely undermine” the purpose of the Bill.
MPs voted by majorities of between 57 and 78 votes to reject the Lords’ amendments.
Support from Labour
For the first flights, ministers are to use migrants drawn from some 5,000 handed notices of intent to deport to Rwanda last year. Internal documents showed only 760 of these were in regular contact with the Home Office, of which officials believed they would be able to round up half. Some 150 will be detained.
Rwanda and UK Government sources on Monday denied suggestions of a two-month pause after the first flights, but confirmed there would be a “staged” approach.
There are only 200 places in the official Hope Hostel in Kigali but Rwanda sources said they had agreements with hotels to take “thousands” more if required before they moved into longer term accommodation.
Labour backed all 10 amendments, as the shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock said they made the Bill “marginally less absurd”. “Not one of these amendments is designed to prevent the departure of flights to Rwanda, as the Prime Minister has repeatedly and wrongly implied that they will,” he said.
