Rishi Sunak faces crunch vote as Rwandan president says policy is ‘UK’s problem’
Rishi Sunak is under pressure over his policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda, which faces a crunch vote in the Commons.
MPs are set to vote on whether the legislation in its entirety should continue to the House of Lords or be shot down – with hardline rebels preparing for revolt against the government.
Speaking at Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs), Sunak insisted “I have absolute conviction that the plan we’ve put in place will work – I believe it is important that we grip this problem.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer criticised the plan as a “farce”, claiming: “Only this government can waste hundreds of millions of pounds on a removals policy that doesn’t remove anyone.”
It comes as Rwanda President Paul Kagame said it was the “UK’s problem” that no migrants had yet been sent to the African nation and suggested he was willing to return the money.
Asked by the BBC, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, whether the UK deal was working, in light of the Supreme Court ruling that Rwanda was not safe for refugees, Kagame responded: “Ask the UK. It’s the UK’s problem, not Rwanda’s problem.”
Pressed on the fact Rwanda was receiving hundreds of millions in UK taxpayers’ money, with not a single refugee being sent there, he added: “It’s going to be used on those people who will come. If they don’t come, we can return the money.”
Rebels yesterday failed – despite high-profile sackings – to add changes to the bill which would have prevented international and UK law being used to delay deportations and to strengthen limits on individual asylum seekers’ ability to appeal against being flown out.
But the size of the mutiny – at 68 MPs – would be enough to sink the legislation and overturn the Government’s working majority if repeated at the Bill’s final Commons hurdle later today.
Legislation designating the East African nation a safe country for those who arrived illegally in the UK to be deported to make a return to the House of Commons on Tuesday afternoon.
But the proposals – a key plank of Sunak’s bid to override a Supreme Court judgement ruling the policy unlawful – continue to be beset by pressure from the Tory left and right flanks.
Speaking to journalists, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said claims that the government is seeking to rewrite the civil service code were “not right” and that they would ensure there was “clarity” for officials and ministers in the application of the legislation.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary added: “We are unified in our position in wanting to stop the boats, so we encourage them all (Tory MPs) to get behind this Bill so we can get this deterrent up and running as quickly as possible.”