Rishi Sunak – live: PM forced to beg Labour to back Rwanda plan as Tory revolt grows

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Robert Jenrick resigns as immigration minister over Rwanda bill in huge blow to Rishi Sunak

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Rishi Sunak has denied his government has become a “joke” and a “laughing stock” over his failed Rwanda plan – but appeared to plead with Labour to back his under-threat legislative plan.

The PM’s premiership has been rocked by the resignation of immigration minister Robert Jenrick, as he failed to appease the Tory right with his emergency Rwanda bill.

There is growing speculation that Mr Sunak will have to make next week’s showdown vote a confidence issue in the government – threatening his MPs with expulsion if they defy him and help force a general election.

A tetchy Mr Sunak denied that he was ready to make it “back me or sack me” vote at his hastily convened press conference on the growing crisis on Thursday.

However the embattled Tory leader appeared to plead with Labour to help him push through his bill in parliament.

Mr Sunak said: “The real question, when it comes to all these votes, if for the Labour Party. So the real question when it comes to parliament … what are the Labour Party going to do about this vote?”

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Tory civil wars have ‘reopened’, says George Osborne

Former Tory chancellor George Osborne has told his Political Currency podcast: “The Tory civil wars have completely reopened”, Adam Forrest reports.

Mr Osborne said: “Rishi Sunak’s big claim was, ‘I’ve come after the chaos of Boris Johnson and the chaos of Liz Truss … I’ve stabilised things.’

“He can’t now claim anymore to have stabilised things. His government is fragmenting around this immigration issue.”

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 16:301701966373

Sunak’s Rwanda plan criticised in the House of Lords

Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan came under fire in the House of Lords on Thursday afternoon.

Several peers criticised the government on its policy of disapplying certain parts of the Human Rights Act in asylum claims.

Liberal Democrat peer Lord German said: “Disapplying legal protections to a specific group is a threat to anyone who may need the protection of a judge in future.

“Human rights are universal – either you have them or you don’t. If you take them away from one group of people, they are no longer human rights. They are rights for some humans.

“When the Government seeks to disapply them to asylum seekers, this is a dangerous slippery slope. Which group of people out of favour with the Government will be next?”

He claimed that the Government’s plan is not only ineffective and expensive, but “lacks human decency”.

Lord Bishop of Worcester added: “I’m struggling to see what human rights can mean if they’re not conferred upon all human beings.”

Joe Middleton7 December 2023 16:261701964831

Tory MP warns Sunak ‘foolish’ confidence vote would only ‘antagonise’

A senior Tory MP on the right has told The Independent that they were angry the bill allows for “spurious legal claims” that would see the courts “clogged up” with challenges once again, Adam Forrest reports.

They warned Mr Sunak not to force their hand with a confidence vote. “It would be very foolish of him to make it a confidence vote, because it would antagonise people, making people more dissatisfied with him. They might then put a [no-confidence] letter in.”

Asked if the threshold of 55 no-confidence could be triggered, the MP said: “I think so. A badly watered-down bill will make people consider a letter. It’s existential for the prime minister to get this right.”

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 16:001701963931

BBC licence fee to rise, Culture Secretary confirms

The BBC licence fee will rise by £10.50 to £169.50 a year, the culture secretary has confirmed.

The household payment, which funds much of the corporation’s operations, had been frozen at £159 and was set to rise in line with inflation next year.

Full report:

BBC licence fee to rise, Culture Secretary confirms

Despite the rise, the culture secretary has confirmed the goverment is doing as much as possible to support families during difficult times

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 15:451701963031

Sunak’s asylum plans a ‘dark day’ for Britain, warns Yousaf

The UK government’s immigration plans are a “real dark day” for the country, Scotland’s first minister said as he accused the prime minister of dismantling asylum processes.

Humza Yousaf, whose grandfather came to Scotland from Pakistan in the 1960s to work in a sewing machine factory in Clydebank, addressed the issue during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.

It came as Scottish Conservative leader and Moray MP Douglas Ross told journalists in Holyrood he plans to back the UK Government’s Bill declaring Rwanda a safe destination for asylum seekers.

Full report:

Sunak’s asylum plans a ‘dark day’ for Britain, warns Yousaf

He added that the Scottish Government is ‘proud of the benefits that migrants bring to this country’.

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 15:301701962131

‘Completely ridiculous’ to replace Sunak, admits right-wing Tory

Some right-wingers have said the Rwanda bill could be “existential” for Rishi Sunak’s leadership. But right-wing Brexiteer Sir Edward Leigh – unhappy with the bill – said replacing him would look “completely ridiculous”, Adam Forrest reports.

Sir Edward told Channel 4 News: “As regards Rishi’s future I’m totally opposed to any change of leader because it would make us look completely ridiculous. We’ve just got to get the bill right.”

Disappointed that the bill allows for legal challenges, he added: “I’m sure the bill is good enough to win through in the courts, but the problem is there are just endless delays so there won’t be any flights to Rwanda before the next election.”

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 15:151701961531

Dominic Cummings: Sunak’s position on Rwanda now ‘pure farce'

Former No 10 strategist Dominic Cummings said Rishi Sunak’s position on Rwanda was now “pure farce”, Adam Forrest reports.

“Sunak tells voters he can only bring in laws if *Rwanda* approves! great ammo for the ECHR campaign to come!” he said.

Some rightwing Tories are calling for Mr Sunak to pull out of the ECHR but the PM has so far refused to do so.

Moderate Conservatives say pulling out of the convention, which the UK helped to draft, would be a red line.

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 15:051701960777

‘Insanity’ to have another leadership contest before general election – Tory chair

It would be “insanity” for the Tories to have another leadership contest before the next general election, the party’s chairman has said.

Richard Holden, the Cabinet Office minister without portfolio, made the comment to journalists at a press gallery lunch in parliament.

Mr Holden was promoted to the chair role in Mr Sunak’s reshuffle last month.

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 14:521701960331

Tory right to deliver verdict on Rwanda bill before Tuesday’s vote

One group of lawyers inspecting Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda legislation are expected to return their judgment to the Conservative Party’s right wing ahead of Tuesday’s vote.

European Research Group chairman and MP Mark Francois said: “We all agree with the prime minister that we need to stop the boats but the legislation to do this must be assuredly fit for purpose.

“To that end…spoke with Sir Bill Cash, who confirmed his star chamber team are already analysing the Rwanda Bill, in detail.

“This may still take a few days to complete but he was confident their findings will be available, at the very latest, prior to the second reading debate on Tuesday.”

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 14:451701959431

Asylum seekers can still go to European court, says ex-government legal chief

The respected Institute for Government think tank has shared analysis by Sir Jonathan Jones – the former government legal chief – who said the Rwanda bill would stop most legal challenges to deportations, but not all of them.

And Mr Jones said asylum seekers would still be able to make claims to the European court in Strasbourg. He said Clause 4 allows claims to be made by asylum seekers “based on compelling evidence relating specifically to the person’s individual circumstances”.

The legal expert said: “What the bill cannot do is prevent claimants going to the European court of human rights in Strasbourg if they have been unable to enforce their rights in the domestic courts.

“The Strasbourg court would not be bound by the UK-Rwanda treaty or by the UK legislation. It would perform its own assessment, on the latest evidence available, as to whether there was a breach of the ECHR.”

Matt Mathers7 December 2023 14:30NewerOlder✕

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