Markus Andrews

Rwanda deal to deport asylum seekers ruled unlawful by Supreme Court More

Laughter rang out in the House of Commons as Rishi Sunak was asked to name David Cameron’s “finest foreign policy achievement” during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 15 November.The former Conservative prime minister made a shock return to government on Monday after being appointed foreign secretary in a cabinet reshuffle.Lord Cameron stood down as prime minister and quit as an MP after losing the Brexit referendum, which he had called, in 2016.He will avoid regular grillings by MPs because of his position in the House of Lords. More

The SNP’s Westminster leader has called on Rishi Sunak to allow a free vote on a ceasefire in Gaza.Stephen Flynn warned that if a ceasefire is not agreed immediately, MPs will only be “watching on” as Gaza is “turned into a graveyard”.“How much worse does it need to get? 4,609 children are already dead,” Mr Flynn said.“For members across the House, this is a question of values and it is a question of conscience. Does the prime minister not agree that should there be a vote on an immediate ceasefire, that members across the House should be afforded a free vote?” More

Sir Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of “fanboying” over Elon Musk in a heated exchange during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 15 November.The prime minister and Labour leader traded blows after Mr Sunak sacked Suella Braverman as home secretary and appointed Lord David Cameron as foreign secretary.Sir Keir was referencing Mr Sunak’s talk with the controversial X/Twitter owner about artificial intelligence (AI) in front of an audience of business chiefs at the beginning of November.Mr Sunak described Mr Musk as a “brilliant innovator and technologist”. More

Sir Keir Starmer responded to David Cameron’s return to cabinet by suggesting Rishi Sunak has “peeled him away from seven years of exile in a shepherd’s hut.”The two leaders clashed in a fiery session of Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday 15 November, which took place days after Mr Sunak’s reshuffle and hours after the Supreme Court ruled the government’s flagship policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda unlawful.“Mr Speaker, the prime minister obviously thinks so little of his own MPs, that he’s had to peel David Cameron away from his seven-year exile in a shepherd’s hut, and make him foreign secretary,” Sir Keir said in a scathing attack on Mr Sunak’s decision. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Watch as Rishi Sunak goes head to head with Sir Keir Starmer in the first Prime Minister’s Questions since a dramatic cabinet reshuffle that saw his sacked former home secretary launch a scathing […] More

The UK Supreme Court has ruled the government’s Rwanda plan is unlawful in a blow to Rishi Sunak after home secretary Suella Braverman’s sacking.Judges ruled on Wednesday 15 November that flights will not be able to go ahead, leaving the prime minister’s key pledge to cut immigration to the UK in tatters.The unanimous ruling agreed with a Court of Appeal decision in June that found Mr Sunak’s £140m deal was unlawful because of deficiencies in the Rwandan asylum system.The plan is a core part of the prime minister’s pledge to stop small boat crossings. More

The Supreme Court judgment on the government’s plans to remove asylum seekers to Rwanda comes more than 18 months after they were first announced.Ongoing legal battles have meant there has yet to be any migrants sent to the East African nation under the policy.Meanwhile, the Channel migrant crisis continues amid much political debate.Here is how events leading up to the ruling from the UK’s highest court on Wednesday 15 November have unfolded since the Rwanda plan was unveiled. More