More than 250 civil society organisations have written to prime minister Rishi Sunak after his Rwanda bill finally passed through the House of Lords yesterday.
Peers had been pushing back on the scheme to deport asylum seekers arriving in the UK to Rwanda, but both MPs and peers have now agreed to the legislation, which is set to become law if it receives royal assent.
The prime minister has pledged the first flights to the east African country will take off “in 10 to 12 weeks”.
Charities – including Oxfam GB, the Refugee Council, the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), Freedom from Torture and Care4Calais – signed a letter describing the legislation as “a shameful and performatively cruel law that will risk people’s lives”.
Meanwhile, charities also recently criticised Sunak’s speech on welfare reform, with NCVO warning some of the suggested reforms could increase pressure on the sector.
‘Desperate act of political theatre’
The letter to the prime minister, signed by 251 civil society organisations, reads: “Despite the clear ruling from the Supreme Court, the government is rewriting the facts so they can shirk our responsibilities to refugees.
“In doing so, the government would break international law and further shatter the UK’s commitment to justice and the rule of law.”
JCWI executive director Yasmin Halima said: “This act of performative cruelty does nothing to improve anyone’s lives.
“It simply punishes people in most need, by allowing the government to forcibly expel people who’ve fled danger, including children and survivors of trafficking, to a place they’ve never been, where they could face further abuse.
“Most of us recognise this desperate act of political theatre for what it is, and urge the government to stop relentlessly attacking refugees, and focus on creating a fairer and more caring society.”
Sunak welfare speech
NCVO chief executive Sarah Vibert said her organisation was “concerned by some of the content” of Sunak’s speech on welfare reform, delivered on 19 April.
“Charities are already buckling under the pressure to meet rising demand for support driven by under-resourced public services and the cost-of-living crisis,” she said.
“Introducing more benefit reforms without simultaneously tackling the systemic issues that cause people to use the welfare system, risks a further surge in people needing charitable support.
“Instead, we advocate for a supportive welfare system that helps people reach their potential, while also ensuring those who need social security aren’t penalised and can afford life’s essentials.
“Instead of forcing people to take work that is not right for them or they’re not ready for, we’d urge the government to partner with charities to ensure people can access the support they need, and if able to, have the opportunity to build skills and improve their wellbeing through volunteering.”
We’ve seen a worrying trend in our welfare system.
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) April 19, 2024
More and more people are being written off work unnecessarily, and spending is growing at an unsustainable rate.
So we’re doing something about it🧵 pic.twitter.com/gXeSUzE4UO
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