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Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has said not a single asylum seeker will go to Rwanda under a Labour government.The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration Bill) cleared Parliament shortly after midnight today (23 April) after peers backed down, ending resistance to the scheme.The prime minister hopes the Rwanda scheme will deter migrants from seeking to cross the English Channel, Ms Cooper called the Bill “an extortionately expensive gimmick rather than a serious plan to tackle dangerous boat crossings” during an interview with Sky News.When asked by presenter Kay Burley: “So no one during a Labour government will go to Rwanda?”, Ms Cooper replied: “No, that’s not our plan.” More

Power briefly went off in the House of Lords on Monday evening (22 April) as a peer was mid-way through a speech.Lights in the chamber flickered before going out while Lord Bellamy was speaking at the despatch box.After television screens and microphones also turned off, the justice minister prompted laughter as he joked: “I must have said something controversial.”Lord Bellamy was able to continue reading his notes by using a table lamp during a short debate on support for parents considering separation.It came amid the late-night back-and-forth between the Commons and Lords over amendments to Rishi Sunak’s controversial Rwanda bill. More

A Tory immigration minister appeared to bang the table during a heated BBC Radio 4 interview discussing Rishi Sunak’s controversial Rwanda bill.Michael Tomlinson spoke to Mishal Husain a day after the plan to deport asylum seekers to the African nation was given the green light after peers caved to pressure.When pressed on whether victims of torture or human trafficking would be sent to Rwanda under the legislation, Mr Tomlinson insisted the nation is a “safe country.””You could ask me an infinite number of challenges… You’re not going to get that clarity because the act hasn’t yet come into force,” he added in the tense exchange. More

The first flight carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda will leave in 10 to 12 weeks, Rishi Sunak has today said (22 April).The prime minister said “enough is enough” as he said MPs and peers would sit through the night if necessary to get the Safety of Rwanda Bill through Parliament.At a Downing Street press conference he blamed Labour opposition to the scheme for the delays, but vowed: “We will start the flights and we will stop the boats.”The prime minister said an airfield was on standby and charter flights had been booked to take asylum seekers on the one-way trip to Rwanda.Mr Sunak said: “No ifs, no buts. These flights are going to Rwanda.” More

Rishi Sunak said he had confidence in Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley after a London officer described an antisemitism campaigner as “openly Jewish”.Gideon Falter was threatened with arrest and told his presence was “antagonising” protesters yards away from him.In a press conference on Monday, 22 April, the prime minister pledged support for the commissioner but said he needed to rebuild “confidence and trust” with the Jewish community.The force initially apologised for the incident, but then apologised for its apology after suggesting opponents of pro-Palestine marches “must know that their presence is provocative”.Suella Braverman has called for Sir Mark to resign. More

Suella Braverman and Mishal Husain clashed during a BBC Radio 4 interview listeners branded a “car-crash” as the MP admitted she had not seen the full video in which an antisemitism campaigner was described as “openly Jewish” by the Metropolitan Police.The pair discussed footage in which Gideon Falter was threatened with arrest and told his presence was “antagonising” protesters yards away in London.Ms Braverman called for Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to resign after the exchange.When Ms Husain proposed that Ms Braverman’s comments were based on “incomplete information,” the politician responded: “I’m basing what I’m saying on six months of information… The police have chosen a side.” More

Suella Braverman has called for Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to resign after an officer referred to antisemitism campaigner Gideon Falter as “openly Jewish,” threatened him with arrest, and said his presence was “antagonising” protesters.The force initially apologised for the incident, but then apologised for its apology after suggesting opponents of pro-Palestine marches “must know that their presence is provocative”.Speaking to Good Morning Britain on Monday, 22 April: “These marches have reached a threshold whereby they are unmanageable… and hateful to a large degree.“Sir Mark… I think he should go. The home secretary, the prime minister need to show leadership here.” More

The mayor of London celebrated Eid on Saturday 20 April by watching comedians and musicians in Trafalgar Square.Sadiq Khan taunted former US president Donald Trump as he addressed crowds from the stage in central London.It was the 19th annual Eid in the Square festival marking the end of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting.Mr Khan told cheering onlookers: “I’m going to take a selfie and I’m going to send it to a good friend of mine, Donald Trump.“I’m going to say listen, ‘bruv’, this is how we run in London – I’m going to show him that our diversity is a strength not a weakness.” More