Tuesday’s vote on the Rwanda legislation proposed by the government will be consequential both politically and in terms of the policy substance. Moderate and pragmatic Conservative MPs are always inclined to be loyal to the leadership. Indeed, we are often portrayed as herbivores, as opposed to the carnivores among our colleagues. Since their recent diet has mainly been Conservative prime ministers, I prefer our way of doing politics.
We are also habitually inclined to see support for the rule of law, and the UK meeting its international obligations, as part of the bedrock of Conservatism, along with free enterprise and individual liberty. We accept that governments should obey the law just as citizens and corporations must. When you sign a treaty you should stick to it, both for reasons of honour and for the simple point that if you don’t, others will be reluctant to make agreements with you in the future.
