MPs again reject Lords’ plan to protect Afghan heroes from deportation to Rwanda

Get the free Morning Headlines electronic mail for information from our reporters the world over

Sign up to our free Morning Headlines electronic mail

Tory MPs have again rejected a plan to cease Afghan heroes who supported British troops from being deported to Rwanda.

Parliamentarians on Monday night time overturned a number of amendments to the Safety of Rwanda Bill by the House of Lords, together with one that may have exempted anybody who supported British armed forces in a significant manner from being deported to Rwanda.

MPs voted 312 to 253, majority 59, to reject Lords modification 10B, which sought to exempt brokers, allies and workers of the UK abroad from being eliminated to Rwanda. The exemption included individuals eligible for entry to the UK below the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme (ACRS).

The Bill will return to the Lords on Tuesday for additional scrutiny.

The Lords and the Commons have been debating the Rwanda Bill, with the laws going backwards and forwards between the homes as friends try to pressure the federal government to make adjustments to the proposed laws.

The House of Lords had beforehand backed the modification in help of Afghan heroes who helped the British. But Rishi Sunak instructed Tory MPs to vote in opposition to all amendments to the Bill, which means that the Lords’ proposal can be stripped out.

Two former chiefs of defence employees, a former defence secretary and a former British ambassador to the US are among the many members of the Lords who’ve supported the clause.

Thirteen senior army figures, together with Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Craig of Radley and former secretary basic of Nato Lord Robertson, spoke out in favour of the exemption for Afghan troopers forward of the vote on Monday. In a letter to the Sunday Telegraph, prime army brass mentioned that, if the exemption shouldn’t be allowed, it can do “grave damage to our ability to recruit local allies in future military operations”.

They described the Ministry of Defence’s Afghan relocation scheme as being “mired by mismanagement”. They added: “It is essential that those who have made it to British shores are not unduly punished by being removed to Rwanda when the government’s scheme is up and running.”

The Independent has documented a variety of circumstances of asylum seekers who supported the UK armed forces efforts in Afghanistan and who’ve since been threatened with removing to Rwanda after arriving within the UK by way of small boat.

Following the votes within the Commons the Bill will head to the Lords on Tuesday. Mr Sunak has beforehand warned the Lords in opposition to irritating “the will of the people” by hampering the passage of the invoice.