The British Parliament has faced a significant setback in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Rwanda policy. The House of Lords voted to delay a crucial treaty with Rwanda, highlighting the hostility among some members of the chamber to the contentious migration policy. Sunak's plan, introduced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2022, aims to deter asylum seekers from making the dangerous crossing of the English Channel by threatening them with deportation to Rwanda. Under this plan, asylum seekers arriving by "irregular means" would not be able to claim asylum in Britain.

Kay Burley, "Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has implored the House of Lords to sign off the Rwanda plan so it can become law, because it is the will of the people"

Lord Goldsmith, "I'm not sure why it's the will of the people because the Rwanda scheme was not in the Conservative… pic.twitter.com/ac08zazu0j

— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) January 22, 2024

Instead, they would be detained and sent to Rwanda, where their asylum cases would be heard and they would be resettled. Although the House of Lords does not have the power to prevent the treaty from coming into force, the vote is a symbolic setback for Sunak. It suggests that the Lords may attempt to amend the broader legislation, known as the "safety of Rwanda bill," which they are expected to begin debating next week.

While the Conservative government's plan has faced legal challenges and criticism, it has also been cloaked in layers of misunderstanding, misinformation, and propaganda. Despite the British government's payment of £240 million to the Rwandan government, no asylum seekers have been deported to Rwanda due to legal challenges. This recent delay by the House of Lords indicates potential roadblocks and challenges ahead for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Rwanda policy.