Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda migration bill suffers a blow in Britain’s Parliament

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — The upper house of Britain’s Parliament has urged the Conservative government not to ratify a migration treaty with Rwanda. It’s a largely symbolic move, but signals more opposition to come for the contentious plan to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to the African nation. Members of the House of Lords voted by 214 to 171 on Monday to delay the treaty. The treaty and an accompanying bill are the pillars of Rishi Sunak’s plan to overcome a block on the deportations by the U.K. Supreme Court. The vote has little practical impact, because the House of Lords can’t block an international treaty. However, ignoring the demand could later be used against the government in a legal challenge.