Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National

A law saying Rwanda is safe doesn’t make it so

Protesters outside the supreme court in London on 15 November
Protesters outside the supreme court in London on 15 November. ‘The problem with Rishi Sunak’s plan to pass a law declaring Rwanda to be safe is that a law cannot make a fact otherwise.’ Photograph: Steve Taylor/Sopa Images/Shutterstock

On what planet is our prime minister living (Rishi Sunak to bring in emergency law after supreme court’s Rwanda ruling, 15 November)? Having failed miserably to get his odious Rwanda policy through the courts, he now plans to introduce “emergency legislation” to declare that Rwanda is a safe country.

Even if this were legally possible, how can the UK possibly monitor this? How could we ensure in practice that Rwanda meets its international obligations towards refugees, so that our own new law actually works in reality, especially as the supreme court makes it clear that Rwanda is currently a long way from being a safe country? It’s completely unworkable.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.