Prominent members of the Conservative party are cautioning that Rishi Sunak’s urgent plan for Rwanda will not pass in its current state, as a crucial vote approaches during his time as prime minister.
The Liberal Tories have announced that they will support the Prime Minister in facing opposition from the right. However, they still have reservations about the plan and are seeking further assurances. A group of legal experts, known as the “star chamber”, have also identified significant issues with the proposals from the Tory right that are proving challenging to address.
Despite Tory whips being confident in their ability to secure enough support for the first vote on Tuesday, moderate Tories are feeling uneasy about Sunak’s direction, which has brought together his opponents and could potentially jeopardize his leadership. One prominent figure on the right compared it to Brexit, stating that it will bring the entire right-wing together and unify them.
A former government official stated: “If after six months we discover that the bill is passed but not effective, it will have disastrous consequences for Rishi. Therefore, they must ensure its success. The consequences are extremely significant.”
The initial significant decision on the Rwanda legislation, which aims to facilitate the deportation of migrants who arrive in the UK via small boats without facing legal obstacles, is scheduled for Tuesday. Nevertheless, apprehensions within both the progressive and conservative factions of the party seemed to be growing stronger against the plans over the weekend.
The conservative side argues that the proposal lacks sufficient disregard for the European Court of Human Rights, while the liberal side has multiple concerns, particularly its conflict with global regulations. Committees from both sides will convene on Monday to discuss and clarify their stances.
In his article for the Observer, Damian Green, leader of the liberal Conservative MPs in the One Nation caucus, expressed his desire to trust the prime minister’s statement that the plans are lawful. However, he also highlighted his reservations about the specific details outlined in the bill.
We have three main concerns. Firstly, we are troubled by the idea of legislation by assertion, meaning that the bill simply claims that Rwanda is safe without providing evidence. The government must demonstrate that this is true. Secondly, we are concerned about the ministers being given unchecked powers, which should be thoroughly examined. Lastly, we are worried about the removal of the responsibility for public authorities to uphold human rights.
It is probable that there will be adequate backing to pass the bill during its initial vote on Tuesday, but several Members of Parliament caution that this cannot be assumed. A revolt by approximately 30 members of the Conservative party would be enough to defeat it.
Prominent legal leaders are expressing concerns about the bill. Nick Vineall KC, who heads the Bar Council, stated that the bill raises significant concerns regarding the rule of law. The bill considers Rwanda a safe country, regardless of whether it is truly safe, but according to international law, our duty is to guarantee that asylum seekers are only sent to genuinely safe countries. The conditions under which human rights challenges are allowed under the bill are very limited. This will undoubtedly result in legal challenges.
The individuals on the right stated that they do not currently have any intentions to send letters expressing a lack of confidence in Sunak. Instead, their attention is directed towards thoroughly reviewing the specifics of the Rwanda bill. Nevertheless, a growing number of MPs are of the opinion that Sunak’s future is closely linked to the outcome of the bill. Some are drawing parallels between his situation and that of Theresa May, who was forced to resign after attempting to pass a compromised Brexit deal despite opposition from the right.
Certain Members of Parliament are of the belief that the party’s enforcers are extremely eager for the legislation to be approved on Tuesday. After this, Sunak will point the finger at Labour for obstructing the Rwanda proposal in order to boost his chances in the upcoming election. These doubts seemed to be echoed in statements made by Sunak on Saturday evening, in which he claimed that Labour lacks a strategy for addressing illegal immigration. He emphasized that this week, Labour must put aside their political maneuvers and act in the best interest of the country instead of their own personal gain.
Keir Starmer is trying to take advantage of the conflict within the Conservative party by giving a speech that specifically appeals to those who voted for them in the last election. On Tuesday, he will speak from a key constituency and try to regain the support of voters in the traditionally Labour-voting areas, known as the “red wall,” by emphasizing his party’s alignment with “British values.” He will also criticize Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s leadership capabilities.
“He will state that while others are consumed with self-importance and divided into factions and exclusive meetings, causing chaos like rats in a sack, there is a nation that is not being properly governed. He takes pride in bringing the Labour party back to its purpose of serving the country, and he will do the same for British politics. He will not allow the Tories to bring down our country along with them.”
Source: theguardian.com
