Shameful illegal migration bill passes after Labour abstain

On May 10th, Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords tabled a fatal motion that would kill off the passage of the government’s Illegal Migration Bill. This cruel legislation targets the most vulnerable people in our country - those who have fled unimaginable suffering and persecution - and who have made perilous trips to Britain seeking refuge and sanctuary.

Instead of responding with compassion and decency, as Britain has done throughout the ages, Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives have instead decided to deny seekers of asylum access to modern slavery protections, and place increasing numbers of people, including children, in indefinite detention.

Liberal Democrats took a stand for the weak and the vulnerable against this senseless Tory heartlessness. Inflicting even more pain upon those savaged by war and oppression will not “stop the boats”, this legislation is expensive, immoral and totally unworkable. Nothing in it will address what actually caused our asylum system to become overwhelmed -  Conservative chaos and dysfunction in the Home Office.

Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, the bill succeeded 179-76 after Labour abstained en masse. For reasons best known to themselves, they stood aside and let the Conservatives plough on.

They should hang their heads in shame.