LONDON — Rishi Sunak, the leader of the United Kingdom, grappled with increasing dissent within his ruling Conservative Party on Tuesday regarding his proposal to send migrants to Rwanda, a move putting his authority to the test with a looming general election.
Two deputy chairmen of the Conservatives resigned from their positions as they joined numerous right-wing Tories in supporting amendments aimed at strengthening the plan. This scheme is considered crucial to Sunak’s commitment to reduce immigration.
The Conservative prime minister has staked his political future on reducing record levels of regular migration and preventing asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel from France to Britain on small boats.
At the heart of this promise lies the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill. This bill is Sunak’s response to a unanimous UK Supreme Court ruling in November, which declared that deporting asylum seekers to Rwanda is illegal under international law.
If the bill is approved, it would compel judges to consider Rwanda a safe third country and grant UK ministers powers to disregard sections of international and British human rights legislation.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has stated that the bill, along with a recently signed treaty designating Rwanda as “safe,” is “not compatible” with international refugee law.
Infighting within the Conservative Party has resurfaced, creating divisions between right-wing and centrist Tory MPs in a manner not seen since the debates over Brexit. Sunak finds himself in a challenging position as he endeavors to turn the bill into law.
A total of 58 Tory lawmakers supported an amendment aimed at preventing international law from being used to block or delay deportations to Rwanda. Additional support came for a separate amendment seeking to restrict asylum seekers’ rights to appeal against deportation.
Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who introduced the Rwanda scheme during his tenure, also endorsed the amendments, although he is no longer an MP and couldn’t vote.
Although these amendments failed to pass, they indicate that Sunak may face challenges in securing a majority vote for his bill expected on Wednesday night.
Party rebels had previously threatened to derail the Rwanda legislation during the initial vote last month, but Sunak managed to secure a narrow victory in parliament.
Should Sunak yield to the rebels’ demands, the bill could be jeopardized by moderates within the party who oppose violating international law and argue that the legislation already pushes the boundaries.
Two Tory MPs, Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith, resigned as deputy chairs for defying their party on the amendments but suggested they might still vote for the bill. They expressed their commitment to making the legislation work in a joint letter to Sunak.
In an attempt to appease MPs concerned about individual appeals clogging the courts, Sunak’s government announced the hiring of new judges to expedite cases. Justice Secretary Alex Chalk stated that these changes would add 5,000 additional sitting days to hear appeals.
A spokesperson for Sunak highlighted that the government was “taking every conceivable step” to ensure flights to Kigali could proceed, emphasizing that discussions with lawmakers were still ongoing.
These internal disputes are testing Sunak’s leadership as Britain approaches a general election. Although the prime minister has not yet announced the election date, he has indicated it will take place this year.
Some opinion polls suggest a significant lead for the Labour Party, putting the Tories on track for a potential landslide defeat. Sunak argues that the Rwanda bill is crucial to dissuading migrants from considering unauthorized routes to the UK, accusing Labour of lacking a plan to “stop the boats.” Last year, around 30,000 asylum seekers crossed the English Channel on makeshift vessels, with five fatalities reported this past weekend.