Rishi Sunak fights to save Rwanda plan as right-wing Tories brand it an ‘incomplete solution’ ahead of showdown vote
RISHI Sunak’s Rwanda plan was on a knife-edge today after right-wing Tories gave it the thumbs down hours before a crucial vote.
A “Star Chamber” of lawyers acting for hardline MPs said the legislation was a “partial and incomplete solution” to stopping future removals being thwarted in the courts.
Five Conservative caucuses on the right of the party have now demanded the PM hardens up the Bill ahead of the first Commons showdown tomorrow night.
Downing Street has so far been adamant any toughening would see Rwanda pull out of the flagship removal scheme and spell curtains for the plan.
It sets up make-or-break 24 hours for Mr Sunak who has staked his premiership on salvaging the policy and getting flights off the ground.
The Star Chamber gave its verdict at a meeting of like minded Tory factions this afternoon: the European Research Group, the Common Sense Group, the New Conservatives, the Northern Research Group and the Conservative Growth Group.
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Dubbed the “Five Families”, they have enough members to kill Mr Sunak’s Rwanda Bill in the Commons tomorrow night when the legislation has its “second reading”.
The last time a government was defeated at second reading - where MPs vote on the principle of the proposals - was in 1986, and a repeat would spark a crisis for the PM.
Following the meeting, ERG chair Mark Francois said: “In summary, the Bill provides a partial and incomplete solution to the problem of legal challenges in the UK courts being used as stratagems to delay and defeat the removal of illegal migrants to Rwanda.”
New Conservatives leader Danny Kruger added: “The decision for all of us is whether there’s the possibility of improving the Bill so it does meet the expectations we all have.”
A further meeting is coming at 6pm where right-wing Tories will hear from former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, who quit over the “weak” plan.
The Sun has heard that Mr Sunak has invited the powerbrokers of the factions into No10 tomorrow for a breakfast charm offensive.
Mr Sunak needs to stop 29 MPs rebelling, or 53 abstaining, as that would torpedo the plan.
A Tory civil war broke out following the resignation of Mr Jenrick, who said the legislation needed to be hardened.
While it disapplies elements of the Human Rights Act, it does not completely overrule it and also the European Convention on Human Rights MPs like Suella Braverman wanted.
The Star Chamber said: “Very significant amendments" to the legislation are needed.
It added: "The Prime Minister may well be right when he claims that this is the 'toughest piece of migration legislation ever put forward by a UK Government', but we do not believe that it goes far enough to deliver the policy as intended.”