Sunak’s asylum plans risk breaching UK’s rights obligations, says watchdog

Equality and Human Rights Commission says measures in illegal migration bill could expose people to serious harm

Rishi Sunak’s flagship asylum legislation risks breaching international obligations to protect human rights and could expose vulnerable people to serious harm, the UK’s equality watchdog has said.

In an unusual intervention before the Commons report stage of the legislation on Tuesday, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said the illegal migration bill would remove protections for victims of trafficking and restricts right to asylum.