The Nationality and Borders Bill have cleared the House of Commons after passing by a majority of 67. The controversial bill has been criticised from all sides of the house – but managed to pass due to Tory support. The bill includes the government having the legal right to remove British Citizenship without notice and changes to the rules around sending back illegal migrants at sea coming into the county.
So what exactly are the Nationality and Borders Bill?
The new plan for the Nationality and Borders Bill was debated in the House of Commons on the 6th July 2021. After many amendments were made in the first reading, the next reading passed in Parliament by 366 votes to 265. Ministers say the new legislation looks to make the asylum system fairer, allowing those with a genuine need and skills to work and live in the UK.
This bill will deter illegal entry by economic migrants and remove asylum seekers who have no legal rights to live here, especially those who have travelled through a safe country. The current legislation states that those outside the EU must claim asylum in the first safe county.
Over two years, we have seen a case that many seekers are accommodating in France, then crossing the dangerous channel to claim asylum in the UK. Those migrants should, by law, claim in France.
Over recent weeks, amid scrutiny followed due to the increased number of illegal migrants crossing the Channels, with over 25,000 refugees arriving across the dangerous channel between Dunkirk and a few beaches in Kent. However, ministers came under much pressure after 27 people tragically lost their lives after dinghy deflating due to treacherous waters, one of the deadliest crossings on record.
The three main aims are to:
- Remove people with no legal right to be there, including criminals, to a ‘safe third country
- Impose visa penalties on countries that do not cooperate to remove illegal migrants that do not have legal rights to the UK.
- Give Border Force officers powers to turn migrants away from the UK at sea back to the county they departed from, and make it clear that is it a criminal offence to arrive in the UK without permission knowingly.
Will the bill be turned into law?
The bill cleared this week in Parliament by 67 votes – meaning it now goes to the House of Lords for the next stage of reading. The bill needs to be read and debated by the lords before it can be passed into law. A total of 88 pages along with amendments will consider before being sent back to the House of Commons.
Why is the Nationality and Borders Bill controversial?
Under a new clause added, called clause 9, give the UK’s Home Office to right to remove a person with no notice and deprive them of British Citizenship if authorities do not have the subject’s contact details or the right to live in the country.
But clause nine has drawn some attention this week. Several campaigners and Human rights organisations said that if the bill passes in Parliament, it will create obstacles for those refugees seeking legal asylum. A petition has been started against removing clause 9. It has so far received over 1,05,600 signatures.
