Rishi Sunak’s premiership has been plunged into crisis after his immigration minister Robert Jenrick resigned over his Rwanda policy.
Mr Jenrick’s departure on Wednesday evening sparked immediate doubts over whether the PM could get his “emergency legislation” to salvage his Rwanda deportation plan through the Commons.
He said in a letter to the Prime Minister he said that he had to resign because he has “such strong disagreements with the direction of the Government’s policy on immigration”.
Mr Sunak’s flagship immigration policy was also thrown into further doubt by Rwanda warning that the deal with the UK Government had to be legal.
In a statement, Rwanda's foreign affairs minister Vincent Biruta said: “It has always been important to both Rwanda and the UK that our rule of law partnership meets the highest standards of international law, and it places obligations on both the UK and Rwanda to act lawfully.”
Mr Jenrick was missing from the frontbench as Home Secretary James Cleverly gave a statement to the Commons on Wednesday over the government's bid to rescue the deal to fly migrants who arrive illegally in the UK to Rwanda.
It is with great sadness that I have written to the Prime Minister to tender my resignation as Minister for Immigration.
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) December 6, 2023
I cannot continue in my position when I have such strong disagreements with the direction of the Government’s policy on immigration. pic.twitter.com/Zg3ezFJr8t
Mr Jenrick had been taking an increasingly firm approach over plans to stop asylum seekers making unauthorised crossings of the Channel in small boats in recent weeks.
The draft Bill, published on Wednesday, compels judges to treat Rwanda as a safe country after the Supreme Court ruled the scheme was unlawful over risks to refugees.The legislation, which must be voted on by Parliament, gives ministers the powers to disregard sections of the Human Rights Act. But it does not go as far as providing powers to dismiss the European Convention on Human Rights, as Tory hardliners including former home secretary Suella Braverman have demanded.
As Home Secretary James Cleverly outlined details of the new law in the Commons, the Government faced the threat of a full-scale revolt by Tory Right-wingers over the plan as he was also forced to confirm Mr Jenrick's resignation.
Shortly after Mr Jenrick published his departure letter to the Prime Minister on social media.
He said he was "grateful" for Mr Sunak moving towards his position on the legislation, but added he does not "believe it provides us with the best possible chance of success".
"A Bill of the kind you are proposing is a triumph of hope over experience," he wrote.
"The stakes for the country are too high for us not to pursue the stronger protections required to end the merry-go-round of legal challenges which risk paralysing the scheme and negating its intended deterrent."Former Home Secretary Ms Braverman had already savaged Mr Sunak’s latest proposals. He sacked her weeks ago after she was engulfed in a series of controversies.
Ms Braverman, in a statement in the Commons, said Mr Sunak's new law should contain legal provisions to ignore the European Convention on Human Rights and Britain's Human Rights Act or he faced "electoral oblivion".
Tory Right-winger Andrea Jenkyns backed Mr Jenrick’s decision and claimed it could be the “death knell” for Mr Sunak’s leadership.
Well done to @RobertJenrick for resigning. As his former PPS when he was Secretary of State I saw his strength and how he stood up to civil servants, I know what a decent man he is and how he adores his family.
— Andrea Jenkyns MP 🇬🇧 (@andreajenkyns) December 6, 2023
This may be the death knell for Sunaks leadership.
Rumours were swirling at Westminster that more letters of no confidence in his leadership have been sent to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Backbench Conservative MPs.
In a sign of the open revolt among Tory parliamentarians, Lord Greenhalgh, a former London deputy mayor under Boris Johnson, tweeted: “Frankly, @RobertJenrick’s resignation as immigration minister is principled. Anyone who believes that the proposed @GOVUK immigration bill is too weak + won’t work should resign. @SuellaBraveman was forensic on this topic in her statement.”
Mr Sunak hit back in a letter to Mr Jenrick, describing his decision as “disappointing”, and telling him in a letter he fears it was “based on a fundamental misunderstanding of the situation”.
The Prime Minister also reportedly told Conservative backbenchers at the 1922 Committee shortly before Mr Jenrick's resignation became apparent that they must "unite or die".
Mr Cleverly denied that Rwanda is getting cold feet due to the “toxic” deal.
His strong stance came after Labour MP Mike Kane said: “It’s been reported in the press that they are getting cold feet because this deal is too toxic for them, is that the case?”
In response, Mr Cleverly simply said “no”.
Pat McFadden MP, Labour’s National Campaign Coordinator, responding to the resignation, said:"This latest chaotic chapter demonstrates why the country is ready for change. And Keir Starmer’s changed Labour Party stands ready.
"The British people deserve a Government that will fix the issues that matter to working people, not a Tory circus of gimmicks and leadership posturing.
"Only Labour can deliver the change this country needs, on the cost of living, on bringing down energy bills and making work pay. It’s time we got Britain’s future back."
