Sunak Faces Down Rebels To Win Crunch Rwanda Vote
The Independent|January 18, 2024
Tory MPs accused of wimping out’ of a mutiny that could have put PM’s leadership in peril as just 11 vote against bill
KATE DEVLIN ADAM FORREST
Sunak Faces Down Rebels To Win Crunch Rwanda Vote

Rishi Sunak has faced down rebels within his own party to win a showdown Commons vote as he fights to save his flagship Rwanda policy. MPs passed the embattled prime minister’s controversial deportation bill by 320 votes to 276, after most Conservative rebels “wimped out” of a threatened revolt.

Losing the vote could have imperilled Mr Sunak’s leadership and even sparked a general election, as Labour mocked the Tories for what it called their “farcical” divisions over asylum policy. But in the end just 11 Tory MPs voted against the government, including former home secretary Suella Braverman and former immigration minister Robert Jenrick.

The PM still faces a lengthy battle over the legislation in the House of Lords and the courts, however, as the government refused to say when flights to the African country might finally take off.

It came as:

• Rwanda suggested it could “refund” some of the £240m cost if no asylum seekers are ever sent there

• Rebels undermined the PM by publishing their own last-minute alternative to his Rwanda bill

• Robert Jenrick claimed Mr Sunak didn’t have “the guts” to throw a policy “grenade”

• Sir Keir Starmer compared the Tories to “hundreds of bald men scrapping over a broken comb”

However, Mr Sunak did suffer a rebellion on an ultimately unsuccessful amendment to the bill, as 59 Tory MPs backed a proposal designed to allow UK ministers to ignore emergency injunctions by European judges.

Denne historien er fra January 18, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra January 18, 2024-utgaven av The Independent.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE INDEPENDENTSe alt
Ten-man Forest earn draw in feisty battle at the Bridge
The Independent

Ten-man Forest earn draw in feisty battle at the Bridge

Chelsea’s winning run in the Premier League was brought to an end by 10-man Nottingham Forest who battled to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge to maintain their own strong start to the season.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 07, 2024
Brighton fight back to end Tottenham's winning run
The Independent

Brighton fight back to end Tottenham's winning run

Brighton scored three times in 18 second-half minutes to fight back from two goals down to stun Tottenham and claim a 3-2 win after an entertaining encounter at Amex Stadium.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 07, 2024
United's vanilla display at Villa may yet save Ten Hag
The Independent

United's vanilla display at Villa may yet save Ten Hag

Manchester United have rarely found relief in a five-game winless run but, for the second time in four days, there was some respite for the beleaguered Erik ten Hag.

time-read
3 mins  |
October 07, 2024
One day in October that we have to keep remembering
The Independent

One day in October that we have to keep remembering

Documentary maker Dan Reed's new film focuses on just one of the kibbutzim attacked on 7 October, as he explains to Guy Walters why the memory must never be allowed to fade

time-read
7 mins  |
October 07, 2024
Wreck of 'ghost ship' found off the coast of California
The Independent

Wreck of 'ghost ship' found off the coast of California

The USS Stewart was deliberately sunk on 24 May 1946

time-read
2 mins  |
October 07, 2024
'Impossible' for Beijing to rule Taiwan as motherland
The Independent

'Impossible' for Beijing to rule Taiwan as motherland

As China seeks to 'reunite' the self-governing island with the mainland, Lai Ching-te insists his country is 'independent'

time-read
2 mins  |
October 07, 2024
Heinz apologises as Black family advert sparks outrage
The Independent

Heinz apologises as Black family advert sparks outrage

Heinz has issued an apology after it came under fire for an advertisement currently on display in Tube stations across London.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 07, 2024
Landlord charges 'entitled' diners for wasting pub food
The Independent

Landlord charges 'entitled' diners for wasting pub food

A pub landlord has warned customers he will charge them extra for large amounts of food they do not finish from his all-you-caneat roast dinner buffet.

time-read
2 mins  |
October 07, 2024
Man endures cancer battle away from home as he waits for cladding work to begin
The Independent

Man endures cancer battle away from home as he waits for cladding work to begin

A homeowner who was evacuated from his flat a year ago due to dangerous cladding faces a battle with cancer from his temporary home as remediation work has not yet started.

time-read
4 mins  |
October 07, 2024
'No one should live with threat of domestic abuse'
The Independent

'No one should live with threat of domestic abuse'

Dermot O'Leary backs Independent campaign for a refuge

time-read
2 mins  |
October 07, 2024