Small boats bill to become law after gov't defeats final opposition.

More than 45,000 people arrived in the UK on small boats last year, prompting the government to bring forward controversial proposals to prevent further crossings of the English Channel. These proposals were fiercely debated in the House of Lords, with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby among the most vocal critics. Despite a series of challenges, the legislation was voted down, and it now moves to the final stage of the legislative process: royal assent.

The immigration reforms are intended to reduce the number of small boat crossings to the UK, a key part of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s agenda. However, opposition MPs and refugee groups have argued that the plans will not succeed in doing this, and will instead create a more costly and chaotic system. Home Office minister Lord Murray of Blidworth pointed out that it was costing taxpayers £6 million a day to provide accommodation for the arrivals, and the legislation is intended to break the business model of criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people.

As the Illegal Migration Bill progresses, the accommodation barge Bibby Stockholm is making its way from Cornwall to Dorset. Asylum seekers are due to board the barge later this month, a month behind schedule. Meanwhile, the Rwanda deportation scheme, another key component of the government’s immigration proposals, was dealt a blow late last month, when the Court of Appeal overturned a High Court ruling which deemed the east African nation a ‘safe third country’. This legal challenge is ongoing.

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