Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill branded 'unworkable, hugely expensive, and could break international law'

The Prime Minister saw off a Tory rebellion to get his Safety of Rwanda Bill through the House of Commons

Shadow Scotland minister Michael Shanks has described the UK Government’s Rwanda Bill as “unworkable, hugely expensive and [one that] could break international law”.

Scotland’s equalities minister has also accused Rishi Sunak’s government of abdicating from its international and moral responsibilities over the legislation. The Prime Minister enjoyed a significant victory on Wednesday evening in seeing off a Tory rebellion and successfully getting his Safety of Rwanda Bill through the House of Commons.

MPs voted 320 to 276 in favour of the Bill, despite weeks of protests from within the Conservatives.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a press conference in Downing Street after seeing the Safety of Rwanda Bill passed in the House of Commons. Image: Stefan Rousseau/Getty Images.

The legislation aims to see illegal immigrants coming to the UK sent to Rwanda instead. But the UK Supreme Court ruled the policy was unlawful as refugees could face “ill treatment” in the East African country.

Mr Sunak hopes this Bill will override this ruling and act as a deterrent to immigrants crossing the English Channel on so-called small boats.

Mr Shanks, who was elected as a MP in last year’s Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election and voted against the Rwanda Bill, says he does not believe the legislation will actually stop the boats.

Mr Shanks told the BBC: “The whole thing remains a complete farce. It is unworkable, hugely expensive and could break international law.

“I sat in on the debate and it was interesting how many Conservative MPs let the cat out of the bag that this is about the general election, not about stopping criminal gangs. This is a gimmick, not a policy that will actually stop this.”

The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP added: “Even if this is enacted, this will sit on the shelf and not actually work. Just this week five more were killed in the freezing water of the Channel.

“It is horrific what these gangs are doing and this won’t stop them. They will continue on as business as usual.”

Mr Shanks said the Labour Party was best placed to deal with immigration, adding party leader Sir Keir Starmer was looking at working with France to create a cross-border police unit.

Meanwhile the SNP has said it is clear Rwanda is not a safe place for migrants.

The party’s home affairs spokeswoman Alison Thewliss branded the policy “state sponsored trafficking”. Scottish equalities minister Emma Roddick said the UK Government should be treating migrants with “dignity and respect”.

Ms Roddick said: “We’ve opposed the UK Government’s plans at every single opportunity since the plan was announced in April 2022. It clearly undermines the UK’s responsibilities to uphold the UN Refugee Convention, which the UK is a founding signatory to, and abdicates the UK Government of its international responsibilities and moral responsibilities.”

She added: “I would like to see the UK Government take any approach to migration, any approach to asylum, that treats the people fleeing war and persecution with dignity and respect. That’s what’s been missing from the whole debate in the last few years – it is missing the humanity of those who need help and who we are morally obligated to help.”

Ms Roddick said criminalising those seeking asylum would move the criminal gangs running the small boats underground, and would therefore not act as a deterrent.