Peterborough asylum seeker "couldn't eat or sleep" after getting Rwanda letter
The bill has passed with a majority of 44 in the Commons
Last updated 18th Jan 2024
An asylum seeker who fled his home in Egypt to find safety in the UK says the thought of being removed to Rwanda has filled him with dread.
Last night Rishi Sunak's avoided a rebellion from backbench Conservatives and won a Commons vote on his flagship asylum bill.
The legislation, which passed with a majority of 44, is designed to allow asylum seekers to be sent Rwanda.
Mohammed, who came to Peterborough to "build a life" for himself, is waiting to hear the result of his asylum claim.
He's since received a letter explaining he could be sent to Rwanda if his claim is declared inadmissible.
'When I received the Rwanda letter I was extremely worried, it left my mental capacity in a very bad state', Mohammed said.
'I couldn't eat, sleep, I couldn't drink, or do anything for at least a few weeks.'
'I want to continue feeling safe in the UK, I want to continue living and building my life here.'
Mohammed said he's sacrificed a lot to get to England and is grateful he's been able to find safety here:
'I came to England because I wasn't feeling safe. I had a lot of issues in Egypt, which forced me to leave and seek refuge. That's when my journey started to Libya, from Libya to Europe and then to the UK.'
'I have seen death multiple times on the route here. I've sacrificed a lot to be here and I'm grateful, I feel safer. I've built relationships. I've adapted a lot.'
'I'm grateful to be here, but very worried about what my life would be like if I was sent to Rwanda, or any other country where I won't feel as safe as I am here.'
Suella Braverman warned British voters will "not forgive us" if the Government fails to stop Channel crossings, adding: "They would be right to do so."
The Conservative former home secretary said MPs have "stretched the patience" of the public as she backed calls to toughen up the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.
She accused the European Court of Human Rights of making decisions that are stopping the UK from "controlling our borders", adding an amendment from Tory former immigration minister Robert Jenrick would "fix" the Bill by ensuring last-minute injunctions from the Strasbourg-based judges can be ignored.
For Labour, shadow Home Office minister Stephen Kinnock said: "This Bill is riddled with shamefully anti-democratic clauses that undermine the rule of law and seek to undermine the conventions and values that we on these benches hold dear."