Conservative MPs have been warned not to use the deepening crisis over the Rwanda Bill to launch a “mad and malicious” attempt to replace Rishi Sunak as leader.
Dubbed the “pasta plotters”, a small group of anti-Sunak MPs are said to have met at an Italian restaurant to plan “an Advent calendar of s***” for the Tory leader this month over the deportation issue.
Mr Sunak’s authority was dealt a fresh blow as a group of right-wing Tories concluded that the bill is not fit for purpose – with those in revolt telling The Independent they are prepared to vote against the prime minister in January.
As Tory rebels on both sides of the row meet on Monday to discuss Tuesday’s crucial first vote, former immigration minister Robert Jenrick piled the pressure on by accusing Mr Sunak of backing a “weak” bill “which doesn’t do the job”.
But Mr Sunak’s allies said it would be “bonkers” for MPs to vote against the bill on Tuesday, and dismissed the idea of trying to force a new leadership contest as “silly” and self-defeating.
These developments came as:
- Michael Gove said Mr Sunak was “not contemplating” an early election to get him out of the mess
- A source close to Kemi Badenoch denied she had discussed replacing the “captain of the ship”
- Suella Braverman suggested Mr Sunak was lying by claiming that the Rwanda deal could collapse
- Professor Sir John Curtice said the Tories could be left with just 130 seats in their worst ever election result
Robert Jenrick denied he was interested in a leadership bid as he criticised the ‘weak’ Rwanda Bill— (PA Media)
Sir Bill Cash, who is chairing a “star chamber” legal examination of the bill – whose findings are eagerly awaited by the hardliners who make up the European Research Group (ERG) – said the proposed legislation is not “sufficiently watertight” to get Rwanda flights off the ground.
ERG chair Mark Francois said he had invited members of the New Conservatives group, run by Danny Kruger and Miriam Cates; the Common Sense Group run by Ms Braverman’s ally John Hayes; the Conservative Growth Group, made up of Liz Truss allies, and the Northern Research Group of red-wall MPs to discuss next steps at lunchtime on Monday.
Mr Jenrick, who quit his role as immigration minister this week, said he would not back the legislation in parliament – suggesting that he may abstain on Tuesday. “Absolutely everyone who comes across in a small boat will put in a legal claim,” he told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.
The hardliner also insisted that “one or two symbolic flights” would not be sufficient to duck the “red-hot fury” of voters. But Mr Jenrick denied that he was interested in replacing Mr Sunak as Tory leader.
Cabinet minister Mr Gove defended the Rwanda legislation as “tough and robust” – but claimed on Sky News that the government would “take seriously” the views of Sir Bill and other rebels.
Despite insisting that No 10 would listen, Mr Gove clashed with Mr Jenrick, rejecting the right-winger’s suggestion that “everyone” crossing on a small boat could make a legal challenge. “That’s not correct,” he told the BBC.
Mr Gove also insisted that Mr Sunak’s government is “not contemplating” holding an early general election if the Rwanda Bill is voted down. The levelling up secretary said: “No, we’re not contemplating that.”
Michael Gove says Rishi Sunak is ‘not contemplating an early election’— (PA)
Ms Braverman backed up Mr Jenrick’s assertion, however, stating: “There will be individual claims brought by every person who is put on the first flight to Rwanda.”
She claimed that the bill still leaves the government open to injunctions issued by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. “As it stands, Rule 39 [under which injunctions are issued] will block flights,” Ms Braverman wrote in an op-ed for The Sunday Telegraph.
Ms Braverman also attacked Mr Sunak’s “rather strange” claim that a tougher bill would have caused the deal with Rwanda to collapse, saying: “I have spoken to the Rwandan government a lot. It never once raised any kind of concerns like this.”
A group of unnamed Tory MPs have told The Mail on Sunday that they would like to get rid of Mr Sunak – with some even keen to bring back Boris Johnson as leader.
Dubbed the “pasta plotters”, a small group of anti-Sunak MPs and strategists were said to have met at an Italian restaurant to plan “an Advent calendar of s***” for the PM over the Christmas period.
“Whatever you feel about him, one thing no one can question is [Mr Johnson]’s effectiveness as a campaigner,” one red-wall MP told the newspaper. But with the former PM now out of parliament, the so-called pasta plotters are said to be uncertain about who could replace Mr Sunak.
Rishi Sunak is said to be facing plotters keen to pounce while he is weakened by the Rwanda issue— (PA)
Damian Green – chair of the moderate One Nation wing of the party – offered a warning to any right-wing rebels seeking to exploit the Rwanda issue as a way to get rid of Mr Sunak.
“Anyone who thinks that what the Conservative Party or the country needs is a change of prime minister is either mad or malicious or both,” he told BBC host Laura Kuenssberg. Mr Green added: “It is a very, very small number doing that [plotting to oust Mr Sunak].”
The One Nation group – which boasts around 100 MPs – is set to meet to deliver its verdict at around 7pm on Monday. Its members remain seriously concerned about the idea that ministers will tell the courts they must find that Rwanda is “safe”.
One senior Conservative MP on the right, who has been involved in the “star chamber” discussions, told The Independent that the critique of the bill, which is due to be set out on Monday afternoon, will be “strong”.
Although No 10 is increasingly confident that Mr Sunak will survive Tuesday’s vote, the right-winger said some rebels are prepared to vote against the bill in early in 2024.
“I think many see the wisdom in biding their time until the third reading. If it’s not remedied, then we shouldn’t back a bill that doesn’t do the business.”
They denied using the bill as a mechanism to plot against the PM – insisting that the challenge was not about Mr Sunak’s leadership.
Suella Braverman suggested Sunak was lying about the Rwandan government’s concerns over international law— (Getty)
Labour will whip its MPs to vote against the bill, meaning that a rebellion by just 29 Tories could deliver a humiliating defeat at any point. Senior Tory David Davis told The Independent that the rebels “would be bonkers to vote against it”, adding: “The bill goes about as far as it can.”
But the former cabinet minister said he did not think 29 MPs would defy Mr Sunak when it came to the crunch at the third-reading stage.
Mr Davis said a small number of MPs are on “manoeuvres” against Mr Sunak. “It’s silly. It’s self-evident that some are using this issue [to undermine the PM]. I talk to people who have very little time for Rishi Sunak, but who still think it’d be bonkers to replace him.”
Foreign secretary David Cameron is said to have been helping No 10 in the push to persuade Tory rebels to back the bill.
The prime minister has been stung by criticism that he has been too slow and out of touch since the Supreme Court issued its verdict against the Rwanda plan weeks ago – allowing others like Ms Braverman to make the weather. “He’s a really bad politician,” one cabinet minister told The Sunday Times.
Some told the newspaper that business secretary Ms Badenoch – viewed as a potential favourite in a future leadership contest – has told colleagues: “The ship is heading for the rocks. What are we going to do about the captain?” But a source close to Ms Badenoch strongly denied the claim, saying it was “not true”.
Polling guru Prof Curtice said the Tories would be “lucky” to win 200 seats – and could be left with just 130 in their worst ever general election defeat. The elections expert warned that the divisions over Rwanda could make things even worse, adding that Tory MPs “should realise they are potentially playing with fire”.
