The House of Lords should give Rwanda a chance

The unelected House of Lords is looking like it’s “done” for the Rwanda Bill – mostly because I suspect they were terrified it might work. Four times these meddling buffoons have knocked back this much-needed legislation – a law that was passed by the elected Commons chamber and which the British people know is needed to stop the boats.

Last weekend, 750 people arrived illegally on dinghies in just 48 hours, all of whom will need homes and support which taxpayers here will be expected to pay for (the current cost of housing and resettlement is nearly £6billion a year).

These politically-motivated peers who are claiming Rwanda is dangerous know full well it isn’t. I spoke to Lord Jonathan Marland this week who’s actually been to Rwanda and says it’s not much of a deterrent because it’s actually rather wonderful.

The UN also thinks it’s pretty safe too, because it’s also sending migrants there.

So, why are the Lords so determined this is a cruel policy that won’t work. I suspect they’re terrified it actually will. Why not just pass it and, if it fails, they will have their victory.

Many of the peers trying to wreck this bill are Labour – a party that doesn’t want Rwanda to work but has no policy of its own to stop the boats.

Now the flights we were told would start in spring may not start till summer, maybe not even then.

Which is Labour’s plan because, by then, politicians will be tied up fighting the election. And if Labour wins, Keir Starmer has already said he’ll dump the bill even if it’s working. What he hasn’t said is how he’ll stop the boats – just that he wants us to take in more migrants (our fair share he calls it).

Veterans minister Johnny Mercer said Labour’s concern over the Rwanda bill is fake. “Controlling our borders and stopping illegal immigration is not morally wrong,” he says.

What is morally wrong is these peers wilfully blocking attempts to end this trade in human trafficking. Nine people died making the crossing in the first three months of this year. In 2023 it was 12 in the entire year. So we can expect more deaths.

More importantly, it’s not right or fair that Brits should be expected to pay for people who come here illegally, especially when some of those people with their fake stories of persecution and torture get to stay then go on to murder, maim and rape. People like failed asylum seeker Anicet Mayela from the Congo whose deportation was stopped by a do-gooding Air France cabin crew.

And because they did that, it left him free here to rape a 15-year-old girl. Twice we tried to deport this monster and twice he got to stay, with the result that he raped a child.

What the hell is happening in this country? Not only can’t we control our borders we let in and then can’t get rid of known sex offenders and violent criminals because it contravenes their human rights.

The Lords should be ashamed of what they’ve done. But then why would they be? The effects of illegal immigration will never touch their pampered lives.