Dominic Raab's controversial Bill of Rights could be shelved again in a potential blow to the Deputy Prime Minister's flagship policy.
Rishi Sunak told his deputy earlier this week that he has "deprioritised" the overhaul of the Human Rights Act, according to The Times.
The legislation - described as a "rights removal bill" by campaign group Liberty -was introduced to Parliament in June, but has since stalled.
It was promised at the 2019 election, with the Tories' manifesto vowing to update the Human Rights Act.
It said the Government would "ensure that there is a proper balance between the rights of individuals, our vital national security and effective government".
During her short-lived premiership Liz Truss, who sacked Mr Raab from the Cabinet, pulled plans for the legislation.
After returning to Government in October, Mr Raab said: "The Bill of Rights will return to Parliament in the coming weeks".
But the issue looks threatened once again as the Prime Minister instead focuses on the issue of asylum seekers crossing the Channel.
The Prime Minister's official spokesperson wouldn't say whether the Government is still committed to the legislation.
"What legislation and when it is introduced will be for the leader of to set out and obviously we will make sure we have the requisite powers necessary," the spokesperson insisted.
Asked if the Government would move forward with the Bill in the current session, the spokesperson said it was a matter for Leader of the Commons to set out timings in the "usual way".
Pressed on whether it was still a manifesto commitment, the spokesperson added: "You'll know the Prime Minister is committed to the promise of the manifesto.
"I'm simply saying I can't get into what bills and the timings of those bills."
Charlie Whelton, Policy and Campaigns Officer at Liberty, said: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s reported shelving of the Bill of Rights Bill.
"This is a Rights Removal Bill, and the proper place for its regressive, confused, and dangerous proposals is not the shelf, but the bin."
He added: “Everybody of all political stripes who has looked at the Bill, from judges to international bodies, businesses and even Tory MPs agree: it is an unworkable and unjustified mess.
"It would have taken away rights from all of us, making it harder for people to get justice and making it easier for this Government to hide from any accountability."
It comes as the Government faces strikes across several industries, with nurses set to take part in their biggest ever walkout next week.
Ambulance drivers, civil servants, and rail workers are also preparing for industrial action as they fight against real-terms pay cuts.
It also emerged that ministers had shelved plans for an "unworkable" Schools Bill in another major U-turn.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan told MPs that the legislation "will not progress" any further as parliamentary time was being saved for measures to tackle the economic crisis.
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