The Council of Europe human rights commissioner urged British MPs to respect international obligations towards asylum seekers. “It is essential that MPs prevent the passage of legislation that is inconsistent with the UK’s international obligations,” Dunja Mijatovic said in a statement yesterday.
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 bill (“Illegal Migration Bill”) presented by the government, which aims to block the asylum process for people who entered the United Kingdom illegally.
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) also warned against passing the bill.