What is in the prime minister’s ‘emergency’ asylum legislation?: Examining the Safety of Rwanda Bill and Rwanda Treaty

Just three weeks after the Supreme Court handed down its judgment finding that it is not safe for the UK to send asylum seekers to Rwanda,* the government has introduced the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill to parliament. The bill states that it “gives effect to the judgement of Parliament that the Republic of Rwanda is a safe country.” (clause 1(1)(b)) 

Parliament is therefore being asked to substitute its judgment for that of the Supreme Court on whether Rwanda is safe for UK asylum seekers. At the same time as introducing the bill, the government has laid a treaty with the Rwandan government before parliament. This short paper considers the implications for constitutional and international law of the prime minister’s latest Rwanda gamble.