The Council of Europe’s Human Rights Commissioner has called on British MPs to respect international obligations towards asylum seekers. “It is essential that parliamentarians prevent the passage of legislation that is incompatible with the UK’s international obligations,” said Dunja Mijatovic, according to a statement today.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, on the other hand, defended his government’s plans as “robust and effective” and yet compatible with international obligations.
In the evening, the British House of Commons debated a draft law (“Illegal Migration Bill”) presented by the government, which is intended to block the way to an asylum procedure for people who have entered the UK irregularly.
The Conservative government wants to discourage people from crossing the English Channel to Britain in small boats. In addition to the Council of Europe, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has also warned against passing the draft law.
