A summary of today's developments
MPs backed the contentious Rwanda bill despite a rebellion by rightwing MPs. The government won the first division with 337 votes. On the second division it had 313 votes. At least 25 Tory MPs definitely abstained on the Rwanda bill as an act of rebellion.
Prior to the vote, Illegal Migration minister Michael Tomlinson told MPs he expects hundreds of people to be deported to Rwanda in 2024.
Only 10% of voters think the government has done a good job managing immigration, new polling from Ipsos suggests. About 79% of people think the government has done a bad job.
The National Audit Office has announced that it will publish a report on the costs of the Rwanda scheme next year.
Nick Brown, a former chief whip, has announced he is standing down as an MP at the next election – and resigning his Labour party membership in protest at the way an allegation against him is being investigated. The MP for Newcastle upon Tyne East has had the whip suspended for more than a year after a complaint was lodged against him under the party’s independent complaints procedure. Brown said the complaint was made by a political rival and related to something alleged to have happened more than 25 years ago. He also said the accusations were “entirely false”.
Wednesday’s Guardian.
Wednesday’s GUARDIAN: “Sunak avoids major rebellion over Rwanda deportation bill - for now” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/qTmUExXvOT
— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) December 12, 2023
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