Board have ‘significant concerns’ over Rishi Sunak’s Illegal Migration Bill
In a major intervention, Board of Deputies say they fear the government's bid to tackle rising migrant small boat crossings could 'breach both the Refugee Convention and the Human Rights Act'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The Board of Deputies have said they have “significant concerns” that government legislation aimed at stopping small boat crossings could “breach both the Refugee Convention and the Human Rights Act.”
In a major intervention, the Board noted in a statement how; “Today’s British Jewish community is descended from refugees and/or migrants.”
But in response to the bill they added:”We have significant concerns at the potential for newly proposed migration legislation to breach both the Refugee Convention and the Human Rights Act.”
Jewish News understands that Board’s president Marie Van der Zyl is planning to visit a refugee camp in Calais herself in the near future.
Wednesday’s Board statement by the communal organisation said it recognised that small boat crossings had escalated in recent years.
But they added:”We believe that strengthening and enhancing safe, legal and viable routes to gaining asylum in this country will be a far more effective way to significantly reduce such numbers.”
“Today’s British Jewish community is descended from refugees and/or migrants. We have significant concerns at the potential for newly proposed migration legislation to breach both the Refugee Convention and the Human Rights Act.” pic.twitter.com/HO0Y1VoPso
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) March 8, 2023
The Board’s intervention came as Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer clashed over the Illegal Migration. Bill proposals at Prime Minister’s Question Time in the Commons on Wednesday.
They aim to to prevent those arriving illegally in this country from claiming asylum, and will block them from returning or seeking citizenship.
Sunak said it was “fair for those at home and those who have a legitimate claim to asylum”.
Starmer described the plans as “unworkable”.
Under the proposals, home secretary Suella Braverman would be placed under a “duty to remove” those arriving illegally in the UK.
This would take precedence in law over someone’s right to claim asylum – although there would be exemptions for the under-18s and those with serious medical conditions.
Braverman has claimed the bill would push “the boundaries of international law” without breaking it.
Every new bill must include an assurance to MPs that it complies with the Human Rights Act.
But it is claimed Braverman’s package may instead come with a “Section 19b” statement, which is a formal alert to MPs that the proposals may be incompatible with human rights and therefore could fail before the courts.
The prime minister said he would implement the plan “as soon as we pass it through parliament” – expected to be later this year.
Starmer has said the only way to deal with the issue of crossings was “to break the criminal gangs who are driving this”.
At PMQs Sunak accused Starmer of being”another leftie lawyer” trying to stop action against small boat crossings.
Starmer responded saying after 13 years of Tory government boat crossings were higher than ever.
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