Sunak under pressure over Rwanda bill as senior right-wingers demand changes before crunch vote
14 January 2024, 23:16 | Updated: 14 January 2024, 23:21
Rishi Sunak is under fire from the Tory right as senior right-wingers heap pressure on the Prime Minister to amend his flagship Rwanda bill or face Commons defeat.
Kemi Badenoch, the Business Secretary, is understood to have privately called for asylum seekers to be prevented from lodging individual legal appeals against their removals to Kigali.
The Tory right-wing darling warned Liam Booth-Smith, the Prime Minister's chief of staff, of the consequences of failing to block individual legal challenges last month.
More than 50 Tory MPs have publicly backed right-wing amendments to the Rwanda Bill, which will return to the Commons on Tuesday.
But any attempt by the Prime Minister to placate them would be met by opposition from Tory moderates.
Lee Anderson, a Tory deputy chairman, has reportedly told colleagues he intends to resign and back rebel amendments to the legislation.
The amendments gaining support among backbenchers were tabled by Robert Jenrick, who resigned as immigration minister over the legislation, and veteran Tory Sir Bill Cash.
They are seeking to disapply international law from the Bill and curtail asylum seekers' rights to appeal against flights to Kigali.
Three leaders of groups on the Tory right, Mark Francois, Sir John Hayes and Danny Kruger, have said they would oppose it if Mr Sunak does not bow to their demands.
The former home secretary and rival to Mr Sunak, Suella Braverman, has said she will this time vote against the Bill if there are "no improvements", having previously abstained.
If rebels were successful, blocking the Prime Minister's flagship Bill would trigger fresh chaos - something that may make opponents toe the line to let it pass.
Mr Sunak has argued that moving a further "inch" on the Bill would risk the Rwandans quitting the deal.
Despite the reports, Sky News has reported that Tory MPs are resigned to only securing small changes to the bill.
Government insiders are briefing that rebels on the legislation are not optimistic about despite rumours of deputy party chair Lee Anderson resigning over the bill.
Sources talking to Sky News and POLITICO say the vote this week is expected to pass with minimal amendments - unlike the uncertainty which surrounded its first reading
The bill is expected to pass its second reading on Tuesday as it returns to the House of Commons for a fresh vote.