Among the fiercest critics of the bill is the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
The government has suffered a record 20 defeats in the House of Lords over its controversial Illegal Migration Bill, which human rights groups have already condemned for breaking international law.
The bill, which is designed to stop ‘small boats’ crossing the English Channel and places a duty on the Home Secretary to remove those entering the UK by irregular means, was subjected to a number of amendments by the Lords.
Among the fiercest critics of the bill is the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who led on one change to the bill with a cross-party demand for the government to draw up a 10-year strategy to work with other countries to tackle the refugee crisis.
The Archbishop’s amendment was backed by 186 votes to 131.
Other changes included a legal duty on ministers to create safe and legal routes to the U.K. for refugees and bolstering enforcement against people smugglers.
The move by Tory peers was backed by 232 votes to ensure ministers have the legal duty to create safe and legal routes for refugees to enter the UK. Some 169 voted against.
Earlier in the week, a coalition of opposition peers, crossbenchers, bishops and Conservative rebels inflicted 11 defeats on the government over the bill.
Members backed amendments limiting the detention of children and pregnant women, inserting protections for LGBT+ asylum seekers and forcing asylum claims to be considered for anyone not deported within six months.
Peers slammed the government for living in “cloud cuckoo land” as it continues to press ahead with its bill.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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