Illegal migration bill returns to the Commons heavily amended after Lords defeat – UK politics live - 5 minutes read
Theresa May says new asylum bill will 'consign more people to slavery'Theresa May says if Lords amendment 56 to the illegal immigration bill is overthrown it will “consign more people to slavery – no doubt about it”.The Conservative former PM said:
We all want to stop the boats … but this bill is not just written to stop the boats, it covers all illegal migration and its unwritten subtext is the stop-certain-victims’-claims-of-slavery bill.
She added:
The evidence of the police is clear: if you want victims to provide evidence to bring slave drivers to justice, the victims need time, they need support and they need to be here.
The bill, she said, “ties the hands of the police” and “undoes the good work of the modern slavery act”.
It will consign more people to slavery – no doubt about it. If Lords amendment 56 is overthrown that will be the impact.
She said the minister has shown willingness to look for mitigations but only in guidance.A link to the illegal migration bill, as it was introduced, is here.Amendment 56 says:
Clause 21, page 26, leave out line 19 and insert— “(3A) Subsection (2) also does not apply in relation to a person if the relevant exploitation took place in the United Kingdom. (3B) Where subsection (3) or (3A) applies in relation to a person the following do not apply in relation to the person— (a) section 22, (b) section 23, and (c) section 24. (4) In this section—”
Updated at 16.01 BST
We all want to stop the boats … but this bill is not just written to stop the boats, it covers all illegal migration and its unwritten subtext is the stop-certain-victims’-claims-of-slavery bill.
She added:
The evidence of the police is clear: if you want victims to provide evidence to bring slave drivers to justice, the victims need time, they need support and they need to be here.
The bill, she said, “ties the hands of the police” and “undoes the good work of the modern slavery act”.
It will consign more people to slavery – no doubt about it. If Lords amendment 56 is overthrown that will be the impact.
She said the minister has shown willingness to look for mitigations but only in guidance.A link to the illegal migration bill, as it was introduced, is here.Amendment 56 says:
Clause 21, page 26, leave out line 19 and insert— “(3A) Subsection (2) also does not apply in relation to a person if the relevant exploitation took place in the United Kingdom. (3B) Where subsection (3) or (3A) applies in relation to a person the following do not apply in relation to the person— (a) section 22, (b) section 23, and (c) section 24. (4) In this section—”
Updated at 16.01 BST
MPs rejected a number of Lords amendments to the illegal immigration bill. The votes are scheduled to continue this evening but this is the end of our coverage for today.
Earlier, Theresa May warned if Lords amendment 56 to the illegal immigration bill is overthrown it will “consign more people to slavery – no doubt about it”. In the vote to disagree with Lords amendment 56, the ayes voted 285, the noes voted 243, giving a majority of 42.
Tim Farron, the former Liberal Democrat leader, said the bill is “comfortably the worst piece of legislation” he has seen come to the House of Commons.
Downing Street declined to provide a deadline for the passage of the illegal migration bill through parliament. The PM’s official spokesperson declined to say if it would be before the summer recess this month.
Stephen Kinnock, the shadow immigration minister, said the Rwanda deportation plan is “fundamentally flawed”, and accused Robert Jenrick of “pettiness” for painting over Mickey Mouse cartoons in an immigration centre. He said the Rwanda policy must “surely be the most expensive press release in history”.
Rishi Sunak “commended” Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for supporting Sweden in its Nato membership bid during his bilateral meeting with the Turkish leader.
Updated at 20.23 BSTMPs vote to reject amendment 102 to Illegal Migration BillIn the vote to disagree with Lords Amendment 102, the ayes voted 282, the noes voted 234, giving a majority of 48.MPs have divided to vote on Lords amendment 102 to the illegal migration bill.The amendment would require councils to furnish asylum seekers with information about what support they are entitled to or which organisations offer advice.Updated at 20.21 BSTMPs vote to reject amendment 95 to illegal migration billIn the vote to disagree with Lords amendment 95, the ayes voted 295, the noes voted 220, giving a majority of 75.Updated at 20.21 BSTMPs have divided to vote on Lords amendment 95 to the illegal migration bill.The amendment maintains existing protections against removal for potential human trafficking victims who are exploited in the UK.Updated at 20.00 BSTMPs vote to reject amendment 93 to illegal migration billIn the vote to disagree with Lords amendment 93, the ayes voted 296, the noes voted 220, giving a majority of 76.Updated at 19.53 BSTMPs have divided to vote on Lords amendment 93 to the illegal migration bill.The amendment makes provisions relating to the removal of people where human slavery and trafficking are alleged to be involved.Updated at 19.54 BSTMPs vote to reject amendment 90 to illegal migration bill.In the vote to disagree with Lords amendment 90, the ayes voted 295, the noes voted 228, giving a majority of 67.Updated at 19.47 BSTMPs have divided to vote on Lords amendment 90 to the illegal migration bill.The amendment makes provision that victims of trafficking are not detained or removed from the UK without being given due process with legal claims to remain in the UK.Updated at 19.34 BSTMPs vote to reject amendment 73 to illegal migration billIn the vote to disagree with Lords amendment 73, the ayes voted 297, the noes voted 227, giving a majority of 70.Updated at 19.35 BSTMPs have divided to vote on Lords amendment 73 to the illegal migration bill.The amendment makes provision that no person under 18 seeking asylum can be detained and adults seeking asylum can only be detained for 28 consecutive days.Updated at 19.35 BST
Source: The Guardian
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