HOME SECRETARY Priti Patel’s proposals to offshore asylum-seekers have been rejected by peers in the latest blow to her anti-refugee Bill. 

The House of Lords voted by 208 to 155 — a majority of 53 — to scrap a provision in the Nationality and Borders Bill which would open the door to Australia-style offshore processing centres for refugees. 

The policy was condemned by Lords across all parties, with Tory peer Baroness Stroud branding it “unworkable on numerous levels,” saying it would expose “vulnerable people to further trauma rather than offering protection.” 

It comes after peers threw out some of the central policies of Ms Patel’s asylum reforms earlier in the week, putting the Bill further at risk. 

Refugee rights campaigners today welcomed the House of Lords resistance to the Bill. 

Refugee Council CEO Enver Solomon said: “These amendments will mean men, women and children fleeing bloodshed and war, like those from Ukraine, will not be criminalised for needing protection. 

“Nor treated with great cruelty by having the door slammed in their face and sent off to have their claims processed in offshore facilities overseas.”

Freedom from Torture chief executive Sonya Sceats described the vote as “another huge victory for compassion.” 

“It is utterly unconscionable for ministers to be pushing through legislation that would lead to Ukrainian and other refugees being penalised with offshore imprisonment simply for making their own way to safety in the UK,” she said. 

“Torture survivors we would otherwise treat at Freedom from Torture would be at risk of forced removal under these cruel proposals.”

The Tories lost all eight votes held on the second day of the Bill’s report stage in the Lords on Wednesday evening.   

Peers also voted to open a new safe route for unaccompanied child refugees in Europe to be reunited with family in Britain, an amendment tabled by Labour peer Lord Alf Dubs. 

Safe Passage International CEO Beth Gardiner-Smith said that the route would be a “lifeline” for refugee children stranded in Calais and squalid Greek refugee camps. 
 
“Next MPs must listen and vote to protect unaccompanied refugee children when this Bill returns to the House of Commons in the coming weeks,” she urged. 

The changes by peers will then go back to the Commons, where MPs can approve or reject them. 

Peers also voted to scrap a provision making it an offence to knowingly arrive in Britain without permission.