What's happened
Tory grandees and bishops oppose the UK government's plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda
Why it matters
The opposition from senior figures within the Conservative Party and the Church of England highlights significant concerns about the government's deportation plan, adding to the ongoing debate and scrutiny of the Safety of Rwanda Bill.
What the papers say
The Mirror reports that former Tory chairman Lord Deben and other Tory grandees have strongly criticized Rishi Sunak's Rwanda deportation plan, while The Independent highlights the opposition from both Conservative and Labour peers in the House of Lords. BBC News provides a detailed overview of the ongoing debate and scrutiny of the Safety of Rwanda Bill in the House of Lords, while The Independent also covers Rishi Sunak's defense of the deportation policy during a public appearance.
How we got here
The UK government's plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda has faced significant opposition and scrutiny, including a ruling by the Supreme Court that deemed the plan unlawful. The Safety of Rwanda Bill is currently being debated and scrutinized in the House of Lords, with strong opposition from various political and religious figures.
More on these topics
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Rwanda, formerly Ruanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge. One of the smallest countries on the African mainland, its capital city is Kigali.
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Rishi Sunak is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2022.
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Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, DStJ, PC, FRS, HonFRSC was a British stateswoman who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990.