Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party, has unleashed a scathing attack on the House of Lords after they inflicted a defeat on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.
According to a report by Express, Farage raged that the unelected upper chamber was “beyond parody” and called for all current members to be sacked.
The defeat came as Lords backed a move by the Lords International Agreements Committee seeking to delay ratification of a new treaty with Rwanda until the government can demonstrate the east African nation is safe for transfers. The treaty aims to address concerns raised by the Supreme Court last year when it ruled the Rwanda policy was unlawful.
In an impassioned speech following the vote, Farage blasted, “This simply cannot stand. The Lords is an affront to democracy and the will of the British people.” He continued, “Unelected peers with no mandate from voters have taken it upon themselves to obstruct and undermine government policy. Enough is enough – it’s time to clean house and sack the lot of them!”
Farage argued that the Rwanda policy had been clearly set out in the Conservative’s 2019 manifesto, which won a large majority. By blocking the policy, he said the Lords was showing contempt for the electorate.
The outspoken Brexiteer turned GB News host pointed out the absurdity of the situation: “We have a chamber full of politically-appointed cronies, many of whom are either failed or retired politicians, deciding they know better than the Commons and the British public.”
He also took aim at a specific Lords committee, branding it biased. “The International Agreements Committee is stuffed full of pro-EU internationalists who still haven’t accepted the result of the Brexit referendum. Of course they’ll do everything to stop Brexit Britain taking back control of our borders.”
In Farage’s view, sweeping reforms of the Lords are overdue. He advocates abolishing the existing chamber and replacing it with a smaller, democratically elected second chamber. However, there is little parliamentary appetite for such radical change.
The government insists the Rwanda policy is essential for deterring dangerous Channel crossings. Home Secretary Suella Braverman said the Lords defeat would only encourage more people to risk their lives making the treacherous journey.
The treaty will return to the Lords next month, but without substantive changes, peers could continue blocking the deportations. If passed, the first flight removing asylum seekers could take place in months. However, numerous legal challenges remain ahead for the government.
