Rwanda bill – live: Sunak desperate to quell Tory rebellion ahead of key vote today

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Rishi Sunak should ‘pull the Rwanda bill’ now, says Tory right-winger

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Rishi Sunak hosted an emergency breakfast in Downing Street with members of the New Conservative group of backbenchers on this morning in a desperate bid to convince them to support his Rwanda bill.

A spokesman for the right-wing group said the Rwanda Bill needs “major surgery or replacement” following a meeting on monday night, ahead of the highly-anticipated vote on Tuesday evening

It comes as Mark Francois, chairman of the European Research Group (ERG), has told Mr Sunak there was a “consensus” among right-wing Tory MPs that he should “pull” the Rwanda bill.

The senior rebel said No 10 should “come up with a revised version that works better than this one which has so many holes in it”.

David Jones, the ERG deputy chair, added that he agreed that the current Rwanda bill was “not easily amendable” at the committee stage – even if goes through the first hurdle on Tuesday.

The so-called “star chamber” of lawyers for the ERG said the bill “provides a partial and incomplete solution” but does not go “far enough to deliver the policy as intended”.

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What is the government’s Rwanda bill?

The prime minister has pinned his hopes on soothing the Supreme Court’s concerns by agreeing a new legally binding treaty with Rwanda and putting forward laws which asks Parliament to confirm it believes the African nation is a “safe country” in a bid to cut the chances of blocking future flights.

Home Office officials say the treaty centres on preventing what is known as “refoulement”, where asylum seekers are removed and returned to a country where they face persecution, to satisfy concerns raised in the Supreme Court’s findings.

The agreement, which needs to be ratified by the UK and Rwandan parliaments to make it internationally binding, seeks to make sure the country does not remove migrants and send them back to their home country, or another country, after they have arrived from the UK.

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, published on Wednesday, compels judges to regard the country as “safe” and disapplies sections of the Human Rights Act and international law.

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 09:211702371843

Former minister: Rishi Sunak should pull the Rwanda bill

Sir Simon Clarke has called for Rishi Sunak to pull the Rwanda bill and return to Parliament with a new one that addresses “issues”.

The former levelling up secretary said the key question for the bill is whether it will do enough to deter migrants from crossing the channel in small boats.

“To achieve this, the bill needs strengthening,” Sir Simon said.

The right-wing Tory said a particular concern is the opportunity for asylum seekers to lodge appeals based on their individual circumstances, while interim orders by the ECHR in Strasbourg will “likely frustrate” the bill.

“The best option today would be for the Government to withdraw the legislation and to come back with a new bill that addresses these issues and commands the support of the whole Conservative Party,” he said.

Archie Mitchell12 December 2023 09:041702370906

No word from MPs leaving Downing Street breakfast

Tory MPs have left Downing Street after a breakfast meeting with Rishi Sunak in a desperate bid to persuade them to vote for his Rwanda bill.

Members of the right-wing New Conservatives group did not say anything as they left No 10 just after 8:30am.

Conservative MPs Neil O’Brien, Jonathan Gullis, Marco Longhi, Jill Mortimer, Lia Nici and Alexander Stafford were among those who arrived at the event just after 7:30am.

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 08:481702369668

Tory minister ‘in listening mode’ as Sunak continues efforts to quell rebellion

Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson said he was “very much in listening mode” as the Government continued efforts to ward off a Tory revolt over the Rwanda legislation.

He told Sky News: “They’re not pesky rebels. They are respected colleagues who I have worked with.”

Mr Tomlinson said he understood the concerns of the Tory European Research Group about the Rwanda plan.

“They want to shut out spurious claims, people making stuff up, to stop them and to stop the legal process going through I am equally determined to stop that,” he told Times Radio.

“I hope that that means that I can reach out right across the parliamentary party because I am somebody, I hope, who listens, who respects colleagues, and who responds to their concerns.”

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 08:271702368820

Who attended Sunak’s breakfast meeting?

Rishi Sunak is currently hosting a faction of Tory MPs in Downing Street, in a desperate bit to convince them to vote for his Rwanda bill later today.

Among those pictured walking into No 10 were Conservative MPs Neil O’Brien, Jonathan Gullis, Marco Longhi, Jill Mortimer, Lia Nici and Alexander Stafford

Miriam Cates and Danny Kruger, co-founders of the right-wing New Conservatives group, and Tory Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson were also seen walking in.

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 08:131702367477

Pictures: Conservatives arrive at Downing Street for breakfast

A number of Conservative MPs have arrived at 10 Downing Street ahead of a meeting with Rishi Sunak to discuss their vote on the Rwanda bill.

Around 20 members of the New Conservatives are due to attend breakfast with Mr Sunak after the grouping said his Rwanda bill “needs major surgery or replacement”.

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 07:511702367342

Starmer dismisses Rwanda plan as a ‘gimmick’

Sir Kier Starmer has dismissed the government’s Rwanda plan as a “gimmick” ahead of the highly anticipated vote this evening.

He told BBC Breakfast that the plan – which he dubbed as “performance art” – wouldn’t work and was a waste of money.

“What I wouldn’t do, and what I won’t vote for, is £290 million spent on a gimmick that is the Rwanda scheme, that won’t work, at the very most will take about 100 people – we’ve got 160,000 people waiting for their asylum claims to be processed, so it’s a drop in the ocean,” he said.

He added: “It costs a fortune and, as we learnt from the Prime Minister when he finally admitted it last week, the deal be struck will also involve Rwanda sending their refugees across to the United Kingdom.

“It’s a gimmick, it won’t work, it is performance art. What I would do is do the more mundane, sleeves-rolled-up, practical work to stop this vile trade in the first place.”

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 07:491702367071

More MPs arrive at Downing Street for breakfast

Miriam Cates and Danny Kruger, co-founders of the right-wing New Conservatives group, have arrived at Downing Street for breakfast.

Rishi Sunak is hosting the breakfast in an attempt to diminish a potential rebellion on his Rwanda policy as it’s voted on this evening.

The MPs said nothing when asked by reporters how they intend to vote on the Safety of Rwanda Bill.

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 07:441702366753

Rebelling conservatives arrive at Downing Street breakfast

A number of Conservative MPs have arrived at 10 Downing Street ahead of a meeting with Rishi Sunak to discuss their vote on the Rwanda bill.

A group of them – including Tory Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson- walked in together at just before 7:30am.

Around 20 members of the New Conservatives are due to attend breakfast with Mr Sunak after the grouping said his Rwanda bill “needs major surgery or replacement”.

The prime minister is hoping to convince them not to rebel against the policy in the vote this evening.

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 07:391702365805

Sunak to try to avert rebellion over breakfast meeting

Rishi Sunak will try to avert a mass rebellion while hosting breakfast ahead of the vote on his Rwanda policy this evening.

Around 20 members of the New Conservatives will attend a breakfast with Mr Sunak in Number 10 later this morning, as ministers engage in a last-ditch attempt to win over party colleagues and avert a humiliating defeat at the second reading.

The grouping of mostly 2019 MPs warned on Monday, after a meeting at the office of backbencher Danny Kruger and attended by former ministers Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, that the Bill “needs major surgery or replacement”.

Athena Stavrou12 December 2023 07:23NewerOlder✕

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