The Government’s controversial Rwanda Bill caused deep divisions at Westminster – and the two MPs serving the East Devon area are equally opposed on the issue.

The bill, aimed at blocking obstacles to the deportation of migrants to the east African country, passed through Parliament late on Monday night after months of wrangling between MPs and peers.

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said flights carrying migrants to Rwanda could start leaving within 10 to 12 weeks, but ministers are braced for legal challenges to the scheme.

The Conservative MP for East Devon, Simon Jupp, voted for the Rwanda bill on Monday. He said the scheme is vital as a deterrent to people smugglers organising illegal small boat crossings to the UK from France, and that Britain should have ‘a fair immigration system’.  

Writing for this paper in advance of the debate, he said: “Whilst (small boat) crossings are already down by over a third overall, we must take more action. And that’s why the Rwanda plan is important.

“The legislation which will hopefully pass this week will allow us to press ahead and deliver on our long-term plan to stop the boats, ensuring it is only the British people in control of who comes here.

“I've been supporting this legislation in Parliament. Deterrents are an essential part of the plan to stop the boats and the people smuggling gangs.

“If you enter the UK illegally, you should not be able to remain here.

“Communities in East Devon have opened their doors and welcomed people from Ukraine, Hong Kong, Syria and Afghanistan. They all arrived via safe and legal routes.”

Richard Foord, the Liberal Democrat MP for Tiverton & Honiton, is strongly opposed to the Rwanda plan, saying it ‘bears all the hallmarks of the last gasp from a failing Government’.

He was unable to be in Westminster for Monday’s debate, but for balance, he was ‘paired’ with a Conservative supporter of the bill who also did not vote.

Mr Foord, who is standing against Mr Jupp for the new Honiton and Sidmouth constituency in the general election, said: “The scheme has already cost taxpayers more than £290m, before a single flight has even left the ground, and is set to cost us many more millions over the coming years.

“Speaking to people across our towns and villages, they would far rather this money be spent fixing our crumbling roads, investing in our NHS and schools, or at the very least tackling the ballooning asylum backlog. It’s shameful that Conservative MPs have chosen party loyalty over responsible public spending.”

Mr Foord is also concerned that the Government may use RAF transport planes for deportations, since commercial airlines are unwilling to be involved. People who have previously supported British armed forces overseas could now find themselves seeking asylum in the UK, so RAF personnel could be ordered to take part in the deportation of former ‘comrades in arms’. Mr  Foord has written to the Secretary of State for Defence, Grant Shapps, asking him to rule out this possibility.