How did the ECHR stop the first Rwanda deportation flight?
Boris Johnson’s government is set to introduce a new proposal in parliament aimed at overturning the European Court of Human Rights‘ decision stopping flights taking rejected asylum seekers to Rwanda.
The proposal, which will be introduced by Dominic Raab in parliament later today, will allow the UK government to ignore the rulings of the ECHR in cases of asylum seekers who arrive via unauthorised journeys.
The deputy prime minister wants the successor to the Human Rights Act to assert that British courts do not always need to follow case law from Strasbourg and that the Supreme Court in London is the ultimate decision-maker on human rights issues.
And the legislation would state that interim measures from Europe, such as the one issued over the Rwanda policy, are not binding on UK courts.
This allows the government to not quit the European Convention on Human Rights entirely, yet still get its way on the matter of the controversial policy for asylum seekers.
Exclusive: Tory elections key to Boris Johnson’s hopes of avoiding fresh no-confidence vote
Tory party elections which could decide whether Boris Johnson faces another no-confidence vote this year will be staged next month, The Independent’s deputy political editor Rob Merrick reports.
The new 18-strong executive of the powerful 1922 Committee of Conservative backbenchers will be chosen on 13 July – sparking a battle between supporters and opponents of the prime minister.
Stuti Mishra22 June 2022 07:15
No 10 attempts to override ECHR ruling and rail strikes dominate front pages today
Wednesday’s front pages splash on deserted train stations as rail staff begin the first day of their scheduled strikes. Meanwhile, the war of words between unions, Labour and the government over industrial action also makes to the lead stories.
Unions have accused Boris Johnson of pursing a “race to the bottom” by heading off public sector pay hikes as teachers and postal workers threaten action, The Independent says on the front page.
Elsewhere, The Guardian leads with a report that Downing Street will set out sweeping plans to override the power of Europe’s human rights court after a judge blocked the UK from deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda. The Tory bill has been accused of “fatally weakening human rights” by campaigners and lawyers.
See more front pages here:
Stuti Mishra22 June 2022 07:05
No 10 defends inflation-busting rise for pensioners but not public workers
Downing Street has defended reinstating the triple lock on pensions while insisting that public sector workers receiving pay rises in line with inflation would further stoke rising costs.
Retirees are set to see double-digit payments increases next year as the state pension will be determined based on September’s CPI inflation.
Asked why state pensions will rise with inflation but not public sector pay, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “Pensioners, particularly those who receive state pensions, are disproportionately impacted by high energy costs.
Stuti Mishra22 June 2022 06:32
Dominic Raab denies assault on Human Rights Act is ‘racist’ and risks fresh Brexit clash
Dominic Raab has hit back at criticism that replacing the Human Rights Act is “racist” and sets up a fresh Brexit clash, as he publishes the controversial legislation, our deputy political editor Rob Merrick writes.
But, in an interview with The Independent, the deputy prime minister accused his critics of ignoring “common sense” and of exaggerating the risk of a clash with the Strasbourg Court.
Stuti Mishra22 June 2022 06:15
Emily Thornberry says government acting ‘drunk’ in ECHR debate
Shadow attorney-general Emily Thornberry has slammed the government over the proposed new Bill of Rights and questioned whether the move would actually change anything, or rather add “more and more layers of bureaucracy on the application of the Human Rights Act”, so it will merely “gum up the system”.
She accused the government of “behaving like some sort of drunk” calling for a fight over the policy.
“They’re just trying to think of anything that they can take on at the moment in order to distract us all from what’s really happening, which is their inability to govern – they’re trying to pick yet another fight,” she told the BBC.
Stuti Mishra22 June 2022 06:00
European decision halting Rwanda deportation could be ignored under new Raab plans
European Court of Human Rights decisions blocking removal flights to Rwanda would be ignored under a Bill of Rights also tasked with increasing deportations of foreign criminals.
Dominic Raab is introducing the proposed legislation to parliament on Wednesday after the Strasbourg court disrupted the government’s controversial flagship policy for asylum seekers who arrive in unauthorised journeys.
The deputy prime minister wants the successor to the Human Rights Act to assert that British courts do not always need to follow case law from Strasbourg and that the supreme court in London is the ultimate decision-maker on human rights issues.
And the legislation would confirm that interim measures such as the one issued over the Rwanda policy are not binding on UK courts.
Stuti Mishra22 June 2022 05:49
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Stuti Mishra22 June 2022 05:11