LONDON – The Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights urged Britain’s parliament on Monday to prevent the government from bringing in a new law to tackle illegal immigration, saying it created “clear and direct tension” with fundamental standards.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made tackling the arrival of small boats from across the English Channel one of his priorities, hoping his move to get tough on illegal migrants will win over voters before an election expected next year.
But Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, said the Illegal Migration Bill, which is passing through parliament, would strip away one of the essential parts of the protection system by preventing people arriving irregularly in Britain from having their asylum claims assessed.
“It is essential that parliamentarians prevent legislation that is incompatible with the United Kingdom’s international obligations being passed,” Mijatović said in a statement.
“Passing the Bill would add to the already significant regression in the protection of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in the UK in the last few years.”
The government says the bill is needed to limit the arrival of migrants travelling on small boats mostly from France to Britain and break the trafficking rings who prey on them.
But some lawmakers in Sunak’s Conservative Party want the legislation to go even further, with several calling on the government to take Britain out of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to drive through tighter controls.
Sunak has repeatedly said he believed Britain could introduce the new legislation while remaining compliant with the ECHR and that the draft law complies with international obligations.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made tackling the arrival of small boats from across the English Channel one of his priorities, hoping his move to get tough on illegal migrants will win over voters before an election expected next year.
But Dunja Mijatović, Council of Europe commissioner for human rights, said the Illegal Migration Bill, which is passing through parliament, would strip away one of the essential parts of the protection system by preventing people arriving irregularly in Britain from having their asylum claims assessed.
“It is essential that parliamentarians prevent legislation that is incompatible with the United Kingdom’s international obligations being passed,” Mijatović said in a statement.
“Passing the Bill would add to the already significant regression in the protection of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in the UK in the last few years.”
The government says the bill is needed to limit the arrival of migrants travelling on small boats mostly from France to Britain and break the trafficking rings who prey on them.
But some lawmakers in Sunak’s Conservative Party want the legislation to go even further, with several calling on the government to take Britain out of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) to drive through tighter controls.
Sunak has repeatedly said he believed Britain could introduce the new legislation while remaining compliant with the ECHR and that the draft law complies with international obligations.