Theresa May among MPs to share Board’s ‘concerns’ over government’s migration plans

The government’s controversial plan to stop illegal migration has passed its second reading in the Commons – but only after Tory MPs including former Prime Minister Theresa May joined opposition politicians in raising significant concerns.

The proposals, contained in the Illegal Migration Bill, had been criticised by the Board of Deputies last week, who raised “significant concerns” about their legality around human rights and refugee laws.

During a parliamentary debate on Monday, Labour’s Jewish MP Alex Sobel noted:”The UK was one of the instigators of the 1951 refugee convention, because before the war the UK Government failed to allow Jews fleeing the persecution of the Nazis into this country.

“The Board of Deputies of British Jews this week said:’ Today’s British Jewish community is descended from refugees… We have significant concerns at the potential for newly proposed migration legislation to breach…the Refugee Convention.'”

Labour MP Sarah Owen also told MPs:”People of faith often speak about the opposite of fear—hope.

“And they have spoken out against the Bill. The Board of Deputies has shared its concerns..”

Former PM May was among several high profile Conservatives to criticise home secretary, Suella Braverman’s plan saying “anybody who thinks that this bill will deal with the issue of illegal migration once and for all is wrong”.

The bill sends refugees who arrive in the UK without prior permission into detention for 28 days and asylum claims will be deemed “inadmissible” in all circumstances.

They will then be sent back to their own country or a “safe third country”, such as Rwanda.

During the debate, there were concerns raised that the planned detention of unaccompanied children and women, along with fears that those escaping persecution from a country like Iran would be denied access to the UK.

May, who was responsible for the Modern Slavery Act in 2015 when she was home secretary, told MPs the home office “knows genuine victims of modern slavery would be denied support” under the bill.

Meanwhile former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland also criticised the plans saying “the issue relating to particularly women and children needs to be directly addressed.”

The Bill passed its second reading in the Commons last night, by 312 votes to 250 – a majority of 62.

While no Tory MP voted against it, 44 did not vote, and Buckland warned on Tuesday that MPs could only continue voting for the proposals if changed were made to it.

He added:” I do not support the detention of unaccompanied children or indeed the splitting up of families; that was a government policy that has been followed since 2010. And I think that those parts of the bill should be removed.”

Rishi Sunak was asked about concerns over the Bill as he flew back from California. He said:”I’m confident that our bill represents the best way to grip this problem.”

In the Commons on Monday, the home secretary said she had been the “subject to the most grotesque slurs for saying such simple truths about the impact of unlimited and illegal migration.”

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told the Commons the bill” is a con that makes the chaos worse.”

She added:” It won’t do the things the prime minister and the home secretary have promised, it won’t stop the criminal gangs or dangerous crossings and, in fact, it makes it easier for those gangs as well.”

Labour’s Andy MCDonald told MPs:”We can agree or disagree with Gary Lineker on his choice of words, but he was perfectly entitled to say what he did about the vile incendiary language of the governing party, who have spoken of refugees as invasions and swarms, and how he sees the parallels with the rhetoric of 1930s Germany.

“What he expressed was a cry out: a warning from history. We remember the horrors of the past in order to learn the lessons in the present and ensure they are never repeated.”