UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has emerged unscathed from a contentious dispute surrounding his key Rwanda bill, as potential Conservative dissent dissipated and numerous right-leaning MPs hesitated to further weaken the prime minister’s position.
In a critical last-minute assembly of over 45 Tory dissenters, the faction’s leaders decided that opposing the bill alongside Labour, especially during an election year, might endanger the government’s stability.
Only 11 staunch Conservative members, including former home secretary Suella Braverman and ex-immigration minister Robert Jenrick, voted against the bill. The legislation ultimately passed with a margin of 44 votes, securing 320 in favor to 276 against.
There was a sense of relief within Downing Street following a tumultuous period of internal conflict and chaos in Westminster. During this time, several Tories defied the party line, backing amendments to strengthen the bill, which has now successfully cleared its final hurdle in the House of Commons.
However, Sunak is now bracing for more tough encounters, this time with the House of Lords. Members there have already signaled intentions to modify the Rwanda deportation proposal to ensure its compliance with international law.
The legislation is also poised to encounter a series of legal hurdles from individuals at risk of deportation to Rwanda. Government attorneys have reportedly assessed the chances of executing the initial deportation flight before the autumn general election as “50/50.”
The Guardian has learned that the Home Office has pre-selected the first 100 individuals for deportation. These cases were reportedly chosen due to the absence of clear grounds for appeal.
During the second day of debates over the amendments, Jeremy Wright, the former Conservative attorney general, said it would be a mistake for the government to imply that international law does not matter.
“What [the government] cannot properly do is set themselves up as judge in their cause on questions of international law. This house would be wrong to pass a bill that suggested that they could,” he said.
