The 10-12 week timeframe is later than the prime minister had wanted, having previously said he wanted it to be implemented by the spring.

Sunak pledged at a press conference that parliament would sit tonight “as long as it takes” to get the legislation passed, blaming Labour for holding up the process.

The bill is now bouncing back and forth between the House of Commons and the House of Lords after peers inflicted a double defeat on the government last week by voting in favour of two amendments.

The parliamentary “ping-pong” over the Rwanda asylum bill is now in its third week and entering its fourth round today, moving closer to the record of five rounds set in 2000.

Ministers have refused to budge on any of the 10 amendments passed by the Lords so far, which include exemptions for Afghans who helped British forces and a requirement for parliament to vote on whether Rwanda is a safe country.

To become law, the legislation must be passed by both Houses of Parliament, with the elected House of Commons traditionally having the final say and the government able to rely on its majority there.

“As soon as the legislation is passed, we will begin the process of removing those who are identified for the first flight,” Sunak said.

Anticipating legal challenges that could take four to eight weeks, the prime minister said that the number of places to hold migrants had been increased to 2,200, with 200 extra caseworkers trained and dedicated, 25 courtrooms made available and 150 judges identified to hear cases.

The legislation also allows the government to ignore injunctions from the European court of human rights.

“No foreign court will stop us,” Sunak said, vowing that the Rwanda deportations would go ahead “come what may”.

Sunak hopes the policy will deter migrants from making the dangerous journey across the Channel, with 6,265 having arrived in the UK so far this year.

There were 29,437 illegal crossings in small boats in 2023, down 36% on the 45,774 in 2022.

Read More: Sérvios-bósnios ameaçam secessão se ONU adotar resolução sobre Srebrenica (Portuguese version)