Tory rebel Robert Jenrick ‘prepared’ to vote against Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill
Robert Jenrick has called for people to be deported “within days” as Rishi Sunak faces a mounting rebellion over the crunch vote on his flagship Rwanda immigration plan.
The former Conservative immigration minister Mr Jenrick – who quit over the “weak” Rwanda bill and has led the rebel amendments – has also said he is prepared to vote against the government at Wednesday’s showdown vote.
Almost 70 right-wing Conservative MPs have now signed the rebel amendments – which are being debated and voted on today in the House of Commons – aimed at toughening the bill and curtailing asylum seekers’ rights to appeal against deportation flights to Kigali.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson has also announced his support for the uprising, while Conservative deputy chairmen Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith vowed to join the rebellion.
However, any attempt by Mr Sunak to placate the rebels would be opposed by more moderate Tories, who are keen to protect the legislation against breaches of international law.
It comes as the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has concluded that the UK government’s new Rwanda bill is not compatible with international law following a legal assessment.
Tory rebel ‘not satisfied’ by Sunak’s pleas
Senior Tory MP Danny Kruger has said he is not satisfied by Rishi Sunak’s assurances that he is prepared to ignore European judges who try to block Rwanda deportations, reports political correspondent Adam Forrest.
On the move to speed up court hearings, the co-founder of the New Conservatives told GB News: “I’m concerned that that suggests there are going to be lots of claims, which indeed I think they would be under this law.”
Mr Kruger said: “I’m afraid I’m not yet satisfied by what we’ve heard from the PM.” He said: “We think the bill needs to go further, discussions are ongoing … We really hope that the government has listened to us and is prepared to concede and ideally adopt the amendments as its own.”
He added: “I met with the chief whip last night and might see him again today I expect, and other colleagues are talking to ministers.”
Eight DUP MPs to vote against Rwanda bill
Eight DUP MPs will vote against the Rwanda bill at third reading on Wednesday, the unionist MP Sammy Wilson has told GB News.
Watch: Tory rebel Robert Jenrick ‘prepared’ to vote against Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill
Sunak warned by Tory rebel: I’m not f***ing around
A potential Tory rebel on Rwanda has warned Rishi Sunak he is not “f***ing around”, political editor Kate Devlin reports.
Former minister Simon Clarke said: “I will vote against if the legislation isn’t amended. Simple as that”.
He made the comment in response to claims by other Tories that the Rwanda rebels won’t vote down the Bill when it comes to a head on Wednesday.
Mr Clarke replied on X, formerly Twitter: “Well this particular MP isn’t “f***ing around””.
Asylum debates have entered ‘unchartered waters’, says law professor
A law professor has described the asylum debates as entering “unchartered waters”.
Dr Helen O’Nions, Associate Professor at Nottingham Law School said: “We are in unchartered waters whereby parliamentary sovereignty is being used as a justification to trump the rule of law and evidence-based reasoning.
“Yet it seems likely that the upper chamber, which has become the voice of reason in the recent asylum debates, will reject most of the proposals.
“All opposition MPs have already rejected them and many one-nation conservatives are profoundly uncomfortable with a policy which exports our refugee protection and human rights obligations.”
Watch: Fujitsu boss Paul Patterson ‘sorry’ for firm’s role in Post Office Horizon scandal
Post Office inquiry MP admits he’s not seen ITV drama
A Post Office inquiry MP admitted he has not watched the popular ITV drama that catapulted the Horizon scandal into the public domain.
Jonathan Gullis, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, revealed he had been made to watch Paw Patrol with his young children instead, much to the amusement of those at the official Post Office inquiry on Tuesday (16 January).
Mr Gullis said: “I might be one of the only people in the country who has yet to watch the ITV drama.
“With having two young children I am stuck between Paw Patrol and many other shows.”
Lucy Leeson reports:
Post Office MP admits he’s not seen ITV drama as he’s forced to watch Paw Patrol
A Post Office inquiry MP admitted he has not watched the popular ITV drama that catapulted the Horizon scandal into the public domain. Jonathan Gullis, MP for Stoke-on-Trent North, revealed he had been made to watch Paw Patrol with his young children instead, much to the amusement of those at the official Post Office inquiry on Tuesday (16 January). Mr Gullis said: “I might be one of the only people in the country who has yet to watch the ITV drama. “With having two young children I am stuck between Paw Patrol and many other shows.”
‘Post Office gaslighted me and turned me into basket case for years’, says ex-subpostmaster
A former subpostmaster has accused the Post Office of “gaslighting” her and “turning her into a basket case”, an official inquiry heard.
Jo Hamilton, one of the many subpostmasters wrongly accused of theft, also criticised the red tape and bureaucracy involved in the Horizon scandal compensation schemes.
Giving evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday (16 January), she said: “After the court case I realised it wasn’t just me, it just makes you so angry. They gaslit me for about three years and pretty much turned me into a basket case.”
Lucy Leeson reports:
‘Post Office gaslighted me and turned me into a basket case for years’, says victim
A former subpostmaster has accused the Post Office of “gaslighting” her and “turning her into a basket case”, an official inquiry heard. Jo Hamilton, one of the many subpostmasters wrongly accused of theft, also criticised the red tape and bureaucracy involved in the Horizon scandal compensation schemes. Giving evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday (16 January), she said: “After the court case I realised it wasn’t just me, it just makes you so angry. They gaslit me for about three years and pretty much turned me into a basket case.”
Sunak must deliver on Rwanda if Tories have any hope, says Rees-Mogg
Jacob Rees-Mogg said the government must “urgently” deliver on its immigration pledges, political correspondent Adam Forrest reports.
The former cabinet minister told his own GB News show that people voted in favour of Brexit to “regain sovereignty of our migration policy”.
“This hasn’t happened. People are feeling dissatisfied. There’s a Rwanda bill before parliament at the moment.
“The Tories need to deliver on this and deliver on this urgently if they are to have any hope of re-establishing trust with British voters.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg said the government must ‘urgently’ deliver on its immigration pledges
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Jacob Rees-Mogg said the government must ‘urgently’ deliver on its immigration pledges
Co-founder of anti-torture network joins calls for MPs to stop ‘cruel’ bill
The co-founder of an anti-torture network has joined calls for MPs to put an end to the “cruel” Rwanda bill.
Kolbassia Haoussou, the Director of Survivor Leadership and Influencing at Freedom from Torture, said: “Just a few short months ago the Supreme Court ruled that Rwanda was unsafe for people like me. But today, the Government is ignoring all the important evidence, expertise, and testimonies that went into making this vital ruling.
“This Rwanda Bill is inhuman and puts the lives of the most vulnerable at serious risk. I’m calling on all MPs to stop this cruel scheme once and for all.”
