Politics latest: Rishi Sunak reacts to latest Channel deaths hours after Rwanda bill passes (2024)

By Beth Rigby, political editor, in Poland

Rishi Sunak warned the world is now "more volatile and dangerous" than at any time since the Cold War, as the prime minister embarked on a trip to Poland and Germany to discuss the threat of expansionist Russia and refocus the world's eyes back on to Ukraine.

Speaking to journalists on the flight over to Poland, the prime minister said we were "unfortunately living in a world that is more dangerous than we've known it in decade, probably more dangerous than the end of the Cold War", adding that this was why it was "important in that we do invest more in our defence and that's what we've been doing".

"My first priority is to keep people safe, and you're right, I have been honest with people that the world is less safe than it has been in decades and my job, indeed my obligation, is to invest to keep the country safe, and that's what I'm doing."

Announcing a further £500m of military support being sent to Ukraine - taking the UK's total support this year to £3bn - the prime minister told journalists he was "proud" the UK had led on supporting Ukraine and also told European allies it was "important" for Europeans to invest in security in these volatile times.

"We're stepping up because that is what the situation demands and requires," he said.

"And if we are joined by other European partners in that it is important that Europeans invest in their own security," he told Sky News.

Read the full story here:

By Adam Parsons, Europe Correspondent

The Human Rights Commissioner at the Council of Europe, which includes the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), has criticised the government's Rwanda's bill, saying it "raises major concerns" and has called for key clauses to be reversed.

Michael O'Flaherty, said he was "concerned" about the new law and said the British government should "refrain from removing people under the Rwanda policy".

Mr O'Flaherty, an Irishman who has spent his career working in the field of human rights, took over the role of commissioner earlier this month.

His role is to monitor human rights across the 46 members of the Council of Europe, and to make recommendations.

Although he is impartial, and not connected to the ECHR, the court is part of the Council of Europe.

He said: "Managing asylum and migration is undoubtedly a complex endeavour for states, but it must always be done in full compliance with international standards.

"In this regard, I am concerned that the Rwanda bill enables the implementation of a policy of removing people to Rwanda without any prior assessment of their asylum claims by UK authorities in the majority of cases.

"The United Kingdom government should refrain from removing people under the Rwanda policy and reverse the bill's effective infringement of judicial independence."

He said there was still a danger of migrants being deported from Rwanda back to countries from which they had fled - contrary to international law - and criticised the idea that ministers could decide whether or not to adhere to rulings by the EHCR, saying they are "binding".

He claimed that the Rwanda bill was part of a wider move, among European nations, to "externalise" asylum and migration policy, which he claimed, was "a matter of concern for the global system of protection of the rights of refugees".

Speaking to journalists on the plane to Poland, Rishi Sunak discussed the deaths of at least five people this morning who were trying to cross the Channel on a small boat.

The tragedy occurred just hours after the Rwanda bill cleared its final hurdle in parliament - a scheme the government argues will deter people from making the journey.

He said: "There are reports of sadly yet more tragic deaths in the Channel this morning.

"I think that is just a reminder of why our plan is so important because there's a certain element of compassion about everything that we're doing."

The PM reiterated the government's aim is to "prevent people making these very dangerous crossings", noting people smugglers are "packing more and more people into these unseaworthy dinghies".

He continued: "This is what tragically happens when they push people out to sea and that's why, for matters of compassion more than anything else, we must actually break this business model and end this unfairness of people coming to our country illegally."

Mr Sunak paid tribute to the UK Border Force, as well as the French authorities "who have cooperated as they always do to rescue people".

"But as I said, it underscores why you need a deterrent, very simply.

"People need to know that if they try and come here illegally they won't be able to stay, they'll be returned either to their own country or Rwanda.

"And I'm pleased that the bill has passed through parliament in the face of lots of Labour opposition, it was a late night."

The prime minister has landed in Warsaw, Poland for a visit to meet with his counterpart, Donald Tusk, and the NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg.

The chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, and the defence secretary, Grant Shapps, were also on the plane and are accompanying Rishi Sunak on the visit, it has been revealed.

On the plane, the PM told travelling journalists, including our political editor, Beth Rigby, that the "world is less safe than it has been in some decades".

He said his is "very proud that the UK has led" on support for Ukraine, having announced a fresh package today (more here).

Mr Sunak added: "We are Europe's largest defence spender and one of the few countries that’s consistently met the 2% [of GDP] NATO spending pledge, and today's action is another example of us leading by example."

By Alexandra Rogers, political reporter

Legal challenges to Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill are "inevitable", the illegal migration minister has admitted, as human rights organisations called on the government not to put the scheme into force.

Michael Tomlinson said the government wanted to ensure flights get off the ground "as soon as possible" but that there would undoubtedly be challenges to the legislation, which passed around midnight last night after months of parliamentary ping pong.

Following the bill's passage, the United Nations and the Council of Europe urged ministers to reconsider the scheme.

Filippo Grandi, the UN high commissioner for refugees said the bill, which is likely to receive Royal Assent and pass into law this week, marked a "further step away from the UK's long tradition of providing refuge to those in need, in breach of the Refugee Convention".

"Protecting refugees requires all countries - not just those neighbouring crisis zones - to uphold their obligations," he said.

Read more on his comments here:

By Joely Santa Cruz, data journalist

Rishi Sunak's bill, which aims to revive the stalled Rwanda policy, will finally become law following a very long evening of ping-pong amendments back-and-forth between the Commons and the House of Lords.

Why is this such an important issue for the Conservatives, and how many people are removed from the UK each year?

Enforced removals of rejected asylum seekers are down by 73% since 2010. The scheme will allow the government to send asylum seekers "entering the UK illegally" to Rwanda.

Most of those affected will be people arriving in small boats. The capacity of the proposed facility in Rwanda is 200 people annually, representing just 0.7% of 2023 small boat arrivals.

The clock is ticking for the prime minister to get deportations up and running - but how much of an impact will the scheme have?

Read more here:

Rishi Sunak is today unveiling a £500m military aid package to Ukraine in its war against Russia alongside the UK's largest provision of munitions so far.

The PM is jetting off to Poland today where he is expected to formally announce the package, and he will meet with his counterpart and the NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg.

Some 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 strike and air defence missiles, and four million rounds of ammunition are included in the package.

The announcement comes during a downswing for Ukraine as Russian forces have been gaining the upper hand in recent weeks.

The PM spoke to Ukraine's president,Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this morning, in which he assured him of the UK's "steadfast support", and said that "Ukraine's security was central to all of Europe's security".

Mr Zelenskyy wrote on X that his is "grateful to the UK and personally to Prime Minister Sunak for such a strong demonstration of support".

Follow the latest updates on the war in Ukraine in our dedicated live blog here:

By Adam Parker, Sky's data and forensics unit

Marine tracking shows French rescue boats responding to a migrant incident off the coast of Wimereux, northern France, in the early hours of this morning.

Data from MarineTraffic24 shows two French ships patrolling the coastline overnight.

At around 4.45am UTC, at least three boats are involved in search and rescue efforts.

The rescue boats appear to be attending different locations all along the coast near Wimereux.

Meanwhile on the British side, at 6am UTC at least three Border Force boats are out in the Channel.

Rescues appear to be ongoing.

Watch below the marine traffic movements overnight and into this morning:

We've had some reaction from charities to the Rwanda bill completing its passage through parliament overnight.

Rose Caldwell, CEO of global children's charity Plan International UK, described the bill as a "shocking new low for the asylum system in the UK".

"Sending vulnerable asylum seekers thousands of miles away to yet another country could cause immense suffering for people who have already experienced the trauma of having to flee their homes," she said, calling for the government to "immediately abandon this cruel and unworkable policy".

Helen Stawski, policy lead at Oxfam, said it is a "sad indictment of the government that they have gone to such extraordinary lengths to pursue such an inhumane policy".

She said the government has a "moral and legal responsibility to welcome people fleeing war and persecution".

She called for more safe and legal routes for refugees to be established, accusing ministers of "dodging Britain's duty to people in desperate need".

As we've been reporting this morning, a major police operation is under way off the coast of France after a number of small boats were launched.

French media is reporting at least five people have died.

Following those reports, Home Secretary James Cleverly said: "These tragedies have to stop. I will not accept a status quo which costs so many lives.

"This government is doing everything we can to end this trade, stop the boats and ultimately break the business model of the evil people smuggling gangs, so they no longer put lives at risk."