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Lords also press ministers to allow independent Rwanda monitoring as deportation bill returns to CommonsUK politics – latest updatesRishi Sunak’s government is considering concessions on the Rwanda deportation bill to allow exemptions for Afghans who served alongside UK forces, parliamentary sources say.Ministers are also being pressed to give ground to an amendment to the legislation so that the east African country could be ruled...

Meeting to discuss PM’s key policy overshadowed by reports of lack of housing for deportees or airline to remove them from UKRishi Sunak has welcomed the Rwandan president to Downing Street amid signs that ministers are struggling to find an airline or housing in Kigali to carry out their flagship deportation plan.The meeting on Tuesday was overshadowed by the former home secretary Suella Braverman’s...

David Neal, who was fired for allegedly disclosing immigration failings at City Airport to the media, has urged James Cleverly to replace him to ensure proper scrutiny in Home OfficeThe UK’s sacked borders watchdog has urged James Cleverly to shake up the Home Office or risk further major security breaches amid warnings that key immigration policies including plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda...

In today’s newsletter: Why David Neal lost his job, and what he had to say about the faltering immigration system• Sign up here for our daily newsletter, First EditionGood morning. When then-home secretary Priti Patel appointed David Neal as the independent chief inspector of borders and immigration in 2021, the Commons home affairs committee refused to endorse the decision. They were worried that the...

Government defends decision that opposition politicians say could put vulnerable people at riskA scheme allowing Ukrainians to join family members taking sanctuary in the UK has been unexpectedly closed, in what opposition politicians described as a cruel and “below the radar” move days before the two-year anniversary of Russia’s full invasion.The Ukraine family scheme is being shut but government officials said a separate Homes...

Sajid Javid had wanted review process for international students who believed their visas had been wrongly cancelled‘It destroyed my life’: the students accused of cheating in English testsWhat is the Home Office English test scandal?Ministers were poised five years ago to offer a route to a reprieve for thousands of international students who may have been wrongly accused of cheating, but the plan was...

Rishi Sunak said legacy cases had been cleared, but torture victims and others fleeing persecution feel forgottenWhen Saba* converted to Christianity, she knew she could no longer stay in Iran. As a disabled woman and a victim of religious persecution, to remain would “mean being killed”, she told the Observer, her voice cracking with emotion. She fled in secret, claiming asylum in the UK...

Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei receives compensation from government after being stopped at GatwickThe home secretary, James Cleverly, has apologised and arranged for compensation to be paid to a human rights activist after officials unlawfully detained him at Gatwick airport on his return to the UK from a UN meeting in Switzerland.Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, a prominent Bahraini human rights activist and advocacy director of the London-based...

PM says he was ‘taken by surprise’ when Piers Morgan challenged him over likelihood of deportation flightsRishi Sunak has rowed back on a £1,000 bet with the broadcaster Piers Morgan on whether deportation flights to Rwanda would take off before the general election, claiming he is “not a betting person”.The prime minister said on Tuesday he had been “taken by surprise” when Morgan had...

PM also criticised for saying ‘the facts speak for themselves’ when asked if Keir Starmer was a terrorist sympathiserRishi Sunak has been called “out of touch” after taking a £1,000 bet with Piers Morgan on whether deportation flights to Rwanda will take off before the general election.Morgan said to the prime minister on TalkTV: “I’ll bet you £1,000 to a refugee charity you don’t...

Opposition politician Frank Ntwali says country is unsafe and Sunak’s pursuance of policy ‘quite bizarre’A Rwandan opposition politician who narrowly survived an assassination attempt has condemned the UK’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Kigali.Frank Ntwali, chair of the exiled Rwanda National Congress (RNC) movement, said the country was unsafe and that Rishi Sunak’s persistence with the policy was “quite bizarre”. Continue reading...

Officials will be taught how to carry out deportations, including how to handle people who physically resistThe Home Office has hired an aircraft hangar and aeroplane body to train security staff on how to deport people, as the UK government increases the number of people it forcibly removes each year.Officials confirmed on Friday the department had increased its capacity to train officials to carry...

Prime minister expected to talk about Rwanda bill after it cleared Commons as Tory ‘rebels’ abandoned protestIn an interview with LBC, Chris Philp, the Home Office minister, claimed that Rishi Sunak was in a better position in the light of the Rwanda bill getting a third reading. Asked if Sunak was “stronger or weaker” after the passing of the Bill but the departure of...

Flagship policy passes committee stage after tense lead-up in which Tory divisions came to the foreUK politics live – latest updatesRishi Sunak has survived a damaging row over his flagship Rwanda bill after a Conservative rebellion melted away and dozens of rightwing MPs balked at further undermining the prime minister’s authority.After a crucial 11th hour meeting of more than 45 Tory rebels, the group’s...

Paul Kagame also says he would be happy for the scheme to be scrappedUK politics live – latest updatesRwanda’s president has said there are limits to how long attempts to implement an asylum deal with Britain can “drag on”, indicating he would be happy for the scheme to be scrapped.Paul Kagame’s comments on Wednesday came before Rishi Sunak faced a potentially leadership-ending rebellion by...

Michael Tomlinson says ‘there’s a difference of about an inch’ between Tory MPs, despite resignation of two deputy chairsThe illegal migration minister has rejected suggestions of a deepened split within the Conservative party over the prime minister’s Rwanda bill, saying “there’s a difference of about an inch” between MPs.On Tuesday night, Rishi Sunak faced the biggest rebellion of his leadership after two deputy chairs...

Assessment comes despite claims by Rishi Sunak that Rwanda is safe when making case for asylum policyThe government has admitted that Rwanda still has “issues with its human rights record” despite claims by Rishi Sunak that it is a safe country.Documents released on Thursday said that “while Rwanda is now a relatively peaceful country with respect for the rule of law, there are nevertheless...

Study of European electoral data suggests social democratic parties alienate supporters by moving towards the political centre Adopting rightwing policies on issues such as immigration and the economy does not help centre-left parties win votes, according to new analysis of European electoral and polling data.Faced with a 20-year decline in their vote share, accompanied by rising support for the right, far right and sometimes...

Party to ask for details of individual relocation costs and any payments to the Rwandan governmentLabour will table a vote in parliament on Tuesday calling for the release of documents relating to the UK government’s Rwanda deportation policy.The vote, which will be part of a humble address on the opposition day debate in the Commons, will ask for any documents that show the cost...

Prime minister pledged to halve inflation, grow economy, cut national debt, lower NHS waits and ‘stop the boats’This article is extracted from our First Edition newsletter. Sign up hereOne year ago today, Rishi Sunak made five pledges that he said were a straightforward yardstick for his government’s success: “No tricks. No ambiguity. We’re either delivering for you or we’re not.” Here’s a report card...

Home secretary said the government had met its targets despite Labour claiming this is ‘false’Good morning and happy new year. Politics is not starting at full pelt this week – the Commons is not back until next week, and although Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have visits scheduled for later this week, we’re not expecting to hear from them today – but James Cleverly,...

A total of 23 people are thought to have killed themselves since 2020, with 176 deaths from all causesA total of 23 asylum seekers are thought to have killed themselves in Home Office accommodation in the last four years, more than double the total in the previous four years, the Guardian has learned.According to research shared with the Guardian, 23 people are confirmed or...