London [UK], July 19: Controversial plans to tackle the arrival of large numbers of small migrant boats in Britain are poised to become law after the government crushed a series of renewed challenges by peers in parliament.
In a night of drama, the Conservative government frontbench saw off five further changes being sought by the unelected chamber to the Illegal Migration Bill, including modern slavery protections and child detention limits.
At least one other vote was ditched in the face of the government victories. And the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, who has been a strident critic of the Bill, also dropped his demand for a statement on tackling the refugee problem and human trafficking to the UK, after a similar proposal was rejected by MPs.
It marked a shock ending to the parliamentary tussle over the flagship reforms that had threatened to go to the wire ahead of the summer recess.
The cessation of the stand-off between the unelected chamber and MPs during so-called ping-pong, where legislation is batted between the Lords and Commons until agreement is reached, paves the way for the Bill to receive royal assent. The reforms are a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's bid to deter people from making hazardous Channel crossings. They will prevent people from claiming asylum in the UK if they arrive through unauthorised means.
The government also hopes the changes will ensure detained people are promptly removed, either to their home country or a third country such as Rwanda, which is currently the subject of a legal challenge.
But the Bill had encountered fierce opposition in the upper chamber, which had been accused of trying to "drive a coach and horses" through the contentious plans.
In turn, the government faced claims of seeking to deliver a "punishment beating" to peers for challenging the plans.
Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth said the number of small boat arrivals had "overwhelmed" the UK's asylum system and was costing taxpayers £6mn a day to provide accommodation. He told peers: "With over 45,000 people making dangerous Channel crossings last year this is simply no longer sustainable."
Source: Qatar Tribune