Rishi Sunak news – live: Rwanda costs soar as PM ‘hit by flurry of no confidence letters’ in Tory revolt

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

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UK taxpayers have been billed a further £100m for Rishi Sunak’s beleaguered Rwanda deal despite no planes taking off.

The government spent the eyewatering sum in the 2023-24 financial year as the plan to deport asylum seekers to Kigali was hit by a series of legal setbacks.

An additional £50m is expected to be spent in the coming year, taking the total cost of the scheme so far to £290m.

The revelation is likely to heap more pressure on the embattled prime minister as he fights to hold the Tory Party together and battles for his political future.

The Home Office said the cash had been spent as part of the Economic Transformation and Integration Fund mentioned above but was “entirely separate” from the new treaty signed with Rwanda earlier this week.

Labour branded the revelation “incredible”.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror reports that some 18 Tories have submitted no confidence letters in the PM as he faces a rebellion on both sides of his party, with MPs unhappy about a draft law published by the government which Mr Sunak claimed would make the Rwanda deal work.

Recommended

• Rishi Sunak pleads with Tory rebels: Back my Rwanda plan
• PM faces fresh pressure as £290 million cost of grounded Rwanda scheme emerges
• Robert Jenrick’s resignation shows the game is up for Rishi
• Suella Braverman tries to revive the tradition of the deadly resignation speech
• Rishi Sunak is running scared from his zombie administration

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Olive branch as MPs offered chance to amend Rwanda bill

Legal migration minister Tom Pursglove signalled that ministers could be open to compromises with rebel Tory MPs over Rishi Sunak’s contested Rwanda legislation, Archie Mitchell reports.

It is an olive branch which means MPs could seek to make amendments to the bill after having voted for it, which could ease the scale of any rebellion over the plans.

Mr Pursglove told Sky News: “There will be parliamentary debates, there will be opportunities for people to bring amendments, the House will consider them in the normal way and as ministers we will engage constructively with parliamentarians around any concerns that they have and handle that in the way that we would any other piece of legislation.”

Matt Mathers8 December 2023 08:401702023708

Sunak hit by ‘18 no confidence letters'

Eighteen Tories have reportedly submitted letters of no confidence in Rishi Sunak as the prime minister faces a civil war over his Rwanda deal.

One rebel told the Daily Mirror they personally knew the names of 18 MPs who had already put in letters of no confidence – even before Robert Jenrick resigned as immigration minister.

Sunak published a draft bill earlier this week which he claimed would fix the Rwanda deal but it has failed to satisfy both rightwingers and more moderate Tory MPs.

Matt Mathers8 December 2023 08:211702023429

Government minister defends cost of Rwanda deal

Legal migration minister Tom Pursglove has defended the cost of the Rwanda plan after it emerged the cost of the scheme has already reached £240 million.

The newly appointed minister told Times Radio: “We’ve always been clear that this is an economic and migration partnership. We want to support economic development in Rwanda. And of course, there are quite understandably obligations on us to work with Rwanda to make sure that all of the right infrastructure to support the partnership is in place.

“We are going about this work in a constructive way. Part of that money is helpful in making sure that we can respond to the issues properly that the Supreme Court raised, making sure that the capacity is in place to administer the partnership at the first possible opportunity.

“And I think it’s right that we go about this in the way that we are and when you consider that we’re spending £8 million a day currently in the asylum system you have to look at those spends in that context. That is not sustainable.

“And the Rwanda partnership is a key plank in our answer to getting those costs down.”

Matt Mathers8 December 2023 08:171702022376

Lord Cameron backs Rwanda deal

Foreign secretary Lord David Cameron expressed his support for Rishi Sunak over the prime minister’s Rwanda plan, branding it “the right package” despite opposition from hardline Tories.

At a press conference during his trip to the US, he said: “Let me be clear, I support what the government is doing to deal with illegal migration… I think the prime minister has done a good job at coming up with the right package, a treaty with Rwanda that only a couple of weeks ago everyone thought would be impossible, it wouldn’t happen.

“It has happened and it’s a very good treaty. A bill has been published and will be introduced to the House of Commons and a pack of evidence about the true nature of what happens in Rwanda is being put together. I’ve seen that myself and I think it’s very convincing and will overcome the arguments put in the Supreme Court.”

Matt Mathers8 December 2023 07:591702020453

ICYMI | Rishi Sunak pleads with Tory rebels: Back my Rwanda plan

Rishi Sunak is fighting to save his flagship Rwanda policy – and his premiership – after a desperate defence of his new deportation bill failed to stop a growing revolt by Tory MPs on both sides of the party.

The beleaguered PM dodged questions about whether he could be forced to call a general election if he cannot get the bill through parliament, in the most significant political crisis he has faced at No 10.

Adam Forrest and Kate Devlin report:

Embattled Sunak pleads with Tory rebels: Back my Rwanda plan

PM fights for political life – and flagship migration policy – as he tries to rally support for ‘existential’ vote

Matt Mathers8 December 2023 07:271702020167

Cost of Rwanda deal will rise to £290m – Home Office

Rishi Sunak is facing fresh pressure over his beleaguered Rwanda policy after it emerged the cost of the scheme has already reached £240 million, despite it never being used.

The government spent a further £100 million in the 2023-24 financial year while flights remained grounded amid a series of legal setbacks, on top of the £140 million previously paid out.

According to a letter from the Home Office to committee chairs, ministers expect a further £50 million cost in the coming year, which would bring the total to £290 million.

In a letter published on Thursday to Dame Diana Johnson, chairwoman of the Home Affairs Committee, and Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Public Accounts Committee, Home Office official Matthew Rycroft wrote: “Ministers have agreed that I can disclose now the payments so far in the 2023-24 financial year. There has been one payment of £100 million, paid in April this year as part of the Economic Transformation and Integration Fund mentioned above.

“The UK government has not paid any more to the government of Rwanda thus far. This was entirely separate to the treaty – the government of Rwanda did not ask for any payment in order for a treaty to be signed, nor was any offered.”

Labour branded the revelation “incredible”, with shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper saying: “How many more blank cheques will Rishi Sunak write before the Tories come clean about this scheme being a total farce?

“Britain simply can’t afford more of this costly chaos from the Conservatives.”

Archie Mitchell reports:

Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan has cost £290m – without a single flight taking off

Labour’s Yvette Cooper said the scheme has cost ‘basically £100m for every home secretary sent to Rwanda’, visited by Priti Patel, Suella Braverman and James Cleverly

Matt Mathers8 December 2023 07:221701963031

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 14:52NewerOlder✕

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