Introduction
The Supreme Court judges have been announced for the upcoming hearing that will determine whether the UK can send illegal immigrants to Rwanda for processing. This decision comes after a previous ruling by the Court of Appeal declared the £140million settlement scheme unlawful.
The Hearing and Government's Argument
The two-day hearing will commence tomorrow in London, and government lawyers will argue for the panel to overturn the June ruling by the Court of Appeal. They will point out that refugees could have been safely returned to their home nations, potentially avoiding persecution.
Previous Rulings by the Supreme Court Judges
The board for the hearing consists of several notable judges who have been involved in high-profile cases:
Lord Reed
- As President of the Supreme Court, Lord Reed voted against allowing Shamima Begum's return to the UK.
- He also ruled that Boris Johnson's suspension of Parliament in 2019 was unlawful.
Lord Sales
- Lord Sales, one of the judges, ruled in 2016 that a Brexit deal could not proceed without a Parliamentary vote.
- He previously worked as a government lawyer for Tony Blair, earning £3.3 million.
Lord Lloyd-Jones
- Before becoming a judge, Lord Lloyd-Jones worked on EU law cases and made a name for himself in that field.
- He ruled that the 2019 suspension of Parliament was unlawful.
- Last year, he came out of retirement to continue his legal career.
Lord Briggs
- In 2020, Lord Briggs ruled against then-Home Secretary Priti Patel, determining that a Pakistani man was a trafficking victim and should not be removed from the UK.
- He has also served as Lord Justice of Appeal.
Lord Hodge
- Lord Hodge, the deputy president of the Supreme Court, was one of five judges who quashed convictions for four protesters involved in a blockade outside a London arms fair.
Reserving the Decision
The Supreme Court is expected to reserve its decision, which means it may take up to two months before a final ruling is made in this significant case.
