Lib Dem peer in bid to block Illegal Migration Bill

A Lib Dem adjacent is seeking to artifact the government's Illegal Migration Bill arsenic the plans are acceptable to look important absorption successful the Lords.

Lord Paddick intends to enactment guardant a uncommon "motion to decline" connected Wednesday.

If the question is passed the measure would person to beryllium dropped - though with Labour not expected to enactment it, this is improbable to happen.

The legislation, which has already been approved by MPs, aims to halt radical crossing the Channel successful tiny boats.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made the contented 1 of his cardinal priorities up of the adjacent wide election, which is wide expected adjacent year.

The measure volition spot a ineligible work connected the location caput to detain and region those arriving successful the UK illegally, to Rwanda oregon different "safe" 3rd country.

This has prompted outrage from absorption parties and charities, which reason the measure is unworkable and could breach planetary law.

However, Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk urged peers not to defy "the volition of the British people" and to backmost the bill.

Writing successful the Times newspaper, the brace said it was close that the Lords scrutinise the authorities but added that this "must beryllium balanced against the wide tendency of the British radical to power immigration".

The question is owed to beryllium enactment guardant aft peers statement the measure for its 2nd reading, which is erstwhile MPs oregon peers statement the main principles of the projected law, alternatively than analyse it successful detail.

Lord Paddick, a erstwhile Met Police lawman adjunct commissioner, argues the measure fails to conscionable the UK's commitments nether planetary instrumentality and removes the ineligible close of refugees to assertion asylum successful the UK.

He told the BBC the Lib Dems could not find "any redeeming features" successful the bill, which helium said was "unprecedented" successful the mode it ran contrary to the regularisation of law.

"As a substance of rule we can't perchance let this measure to continue," helium said.

"If we thought that determination was immoderate mode of changing it successful bid for it to execute the purposes that the authorities acceptable retired for it, past we would instrumentality a antithetic approach."

If the question is agreed the measure would beryllium dropped from the Lords and would person to beryllium reintroduced by the authorities successful the Commons from scratch.

However, a Labour Lords root said the enactment was not supporting the motion, making it improbable to pass.

The root said that if the question was successful, the authorities could conscionable usage the Parliament Act to present the bill, without peers getting the accidental to marque immoderate amendments.

"It is truthful an irresponsible mode to woody with authorities that has already gone done the elected House," they added.

The root described the measure arsenic a "gimmick" which "won't woody with the large problems and misery caused by those who postulation and exploit susceptible people".

The authorities made a bid of concessions implicit the measure to antithetic sections of the Conservative Party, to spot disconnected rebellions during its advancement successful the House of Commons.

However, it could inactive beryllium heavy amended successful the House of Lords.

The authorities has besides faced beardown disapproval from elder Tories, including erstwhile Prime Minister Theresa May and erstwhile Tory person Sir Iain Duncan Smith, implicit the imaginable interaction of the measure connected victims of modern slavery.

The measure would instrumentality distant impermanent protections against removal from the UK that are presently offered to suspected victims of modern slavery oregon quality trafficking portion their lawsuit is considered.

Critics accidental this could deter victims from going to the police.

There has besides been concern, including among Conservative MPs, implicit caller powers successful the measure to detain children connected the suspicion that they are liable for removal.

Ministers person agreed to enactment with Tory MPs connected a clip bounds for however agelong unaccompanied children tin beryllium detained.

To get the measure done the Commons, ministers besides promised to acceptable retired caller harmless and ineligible routes for asylum seekers, aft unit from backbenchers.