Outrage prompts UK immigration minister's resignation over Rwanda asylum bill being 'insufficient'

Robert Jenrick, the UK immigration minister, handed in his resignation due to the government's new legislation on the Rwanda asylum transfer scheme, stating that the proposed law is not sufficiently comprehensive. The plan to transfer some asylum seekers to Rwanda has faced significant legal opposition since it was announced in April 2022.

Three consecutive Home Secretaries have made efforts to implement the policy despite the UK Supreme Court ruling it unlawful in November. In a recent setback, Jenrick, who works within the Home Office, stated he would not support the latest draft bill as he does not believe it goes "far enough" to ensure the success of the policy.

Jenrick emphasized the importance of implementing stronger protections to prevent legal challenges and potential paralysis of the scheme. He had also publicly vowed to take necessary action to combat illegal migration to the UK, even if it meant withdrawing from the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR).

A faction of staunch lawmakers within Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party, led by former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, has been advocating for the UK's departure from the human rights treaty, claiming it impedes the Rwanda policy.

The legislation introduced by the government on Wednesday did not lead to the UK's withdrawal from the treaty, but it did include a crucial caveat. UK Home Secretary James Cleverley stated on the first page of the bill that he could not ensure that the legislation was "compatible with the Convention rights."

Certain sections of the UK Human Rights Act are also being disclaimed by the bill, which is a fundamental piece of legislation that integrated the rights outlined in the European Convention on Human Rights into UK law. Another part of the bill asserts its sovereignty and states that its validity is not affected by significant international legal instruments such as the ECHR and the Refugee Convention.

The legislation faced harsh criticism from the Labour Party, the opposition in Britain, who highlighted that this is the third version of the legislation that the government has introduced to parliament. Yvette Cooper, the Shadow Home Secretary, criticized the government, describing it as being in "total chaos" and arguing that their focus should instead be on combatting criminal gangs smuggling people into the UK.

Legal experts, including Mark Elliot, Professor of Public Law at the University of Cambridge, have criticized the bill. Elliot labeled the bill as "hypocritical," arguing that it expects Rwanda to meet its obligations under international law to treat asylum seekers humanely while allowing the UK to violate its own international law obligations. Additionally, the Rwandan government issued a warning to the UK on Wednesday, threatening to withdraw from the arrangement if the UK does not adhere to international law, as reported by the British national news agency, PA Media.

Rwandan Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta stated that Rwanda would be unable to continue with the Migration and Economic Development Partnership without UK's adherence to the law. The next step in the process will involve UK lawmakers debating the bill's merits in parliament, known as the "second reading."