London

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has urged his Conservative party members to unite behind his plan to send the illegal migrants to Rwanda as certain lawmakers protest the move saying it did not go far enough.  

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During a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday (Dec 7), Sunak said the plan will work, to appease the Tories who want him to withdraw the UK from the European Court of Human Rights, to stop courts blocking removals.

"This bill will work...we will get flights off the ground, we will deter illegal migrants from coming here and we will finally stop the boats," said Sunak. 

"I want to finish the job. Finishing the job means getting this legislation on the statute book," he added.

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Sunak said his plan was the "only approach" as going any further would mean that Rwanda "will collapse the scheme and then we will have nowhere to send anyone to". 

Sunak's statement came a day after his immigration minister Robert Jenrick resigned from the position due to "strong disagreements with the direction" of the government's policy on immigration.

He wrote a letter to PM Sunak saying that the proposed laws were "a triumph of hope over experience".

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"The stakes for the country are too high for us not to pursue the stronger protections required to end the merry-go-round of legal challenges which risk paralysing the scheme and negating its intended deterrent," he wrote.

Also read | UK immigration minister Robert Jenrick resigns over Rwanda bill

Why the protest?

Notably, last month, the UK Supreme Court ruled that Sunak's immigration move violates the international human rights enshrined in domestic legislation. One of the biggest points raised by the court was that the asylum seekers would then be deported back to their home nations from where they had escaped the torturous conditions. 

Afterwards, the Sunak administration signed a new migrant treaty with Rwanda which attempts to circumvent the legal block placed. To mitigate the Supreme Court's concerns, the new treaty states that anyone sent to Rwanda will be given permanent leave to remain there even if their asylum application failed, according to the Financial Times. 

Watch | UK: PM Rishi Sunak's new Rwanda plan suffers blow as immigration minister quits

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What is the Rwanda asylum plan?

Former interior minister Priti Patel in April 2022 brought the "Rwanda Asylum Policy" but its implementation remained in limbo due to the court proceedings.

Under the plan, the British government is aiming to send thousands of illegal migrants to Rwanda to deter others from crossing the Channel on small, dangerous boats. 

In return, the relatively underdeveloped nation has received a payment of $180 million with the promise of more money to fund the accommodation and care of any deported individuals. 

(With inputs from agencies)