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Sunak to introduce emergency legislation to revive Rwanda plan
A rattled Rishi Sunak has unveiled a last-ditch plan to save his flagship illegal migration policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda after the Supreme Court ruled it unlawful.
The prime minister said he would introduce emergency legislation to stop “foreign courts” blocking flights to Kigali and vowed to get planes in the air by spring next year.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, he said ministers would draw up a new treaty with Rwanda and make changes to domestic law to address the Supreme Court’s concerns that the east Africa country is not safe for asylum seekers.
“We must be honest about the fact that even once parliament has changed the law here at home, we could still face challenges from the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg,” he told reporters.
“I told parliament earlier today that I’m prepared to change our laws and revisit those international relationships to remove the obstacles in our way. So let me tell everybody now, I will not allow a foreign court to block these flights.”
Earlier, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Sunak should apologise to the country for blowing £140m on the failed scheme and “wasting his entire time in office”. “He has wasted all of his time on a gimmick and now he is absolutely nowhere,” the Labour leader said.
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Border control ‘has never been free’, claims Cleverly
James Cleverly has brushed off questions about the £140m+ bill for Britain’s failed Rwanda asylum plan, claiming “border control is not free”.
The new home secretary told Sky News: “Whether you do it here in the UK, or with partners internationally, it has never been free. But the point is, it is working.”
Mr Cleverly was asked about the money Britain has handed Rwanda so far, with the government’s plan B set to add to the bill.
He added: “Small boat numbers are down, returns to countries are up, we are bucking the trend compared with other countries in Europe.”
UK Home Secretary James Cleverly attends a press conference held by Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, following the Supreme Court’s Rwanda policy judgement
(Getty Images)
Archie Mitchell, Political Correspondent16 November 2023 07:37
Cleverly denies calling Rwanda plan bats***
James Cleverly has denied privately calling the government’s Rwanda deportation plan “bats***”.
The home secretary told Sky News: “I don’t recognise that phrase and the point I am making at the despatch box is that the Rwanda scheme is an important part, but only a part, of the range of responses we have to illegal migration.”
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper on Wednesday claimed Mr Cleverly privately used the expletive to describe the immigration scheme.
Ms Cooper told MPs of Suella Braverman’s successor: “I don’t believe the new Home Secretary ever believed in the Rwanda plan. He distanced himself from it and his predecessor’s language on it. He may even, on occasion, have privately called it batshit.”
Archie Mitchell, Political Correspondent16 November 2023 07:35
International treaty with Rwanda would take days, says Home Secretary
Home Secretary James Cleverly said an international treaty with Rwanda and emergency domestic laws would take days rather than weeks.
The measures are aimed at making the Rwanda plan legally watertight following the Government’s Supreme Court defeat.
Mr Cleverly told Times Radio: “We’ve got a memorandum of understanding which we’re going to upgrade to a treaty. That can be done very, very quickly because we have been working on it for some time.
“And the Prime Minister has committed to making sure that we get this emergency legislation into the House quickly.”
That process can be “a very speedy one”, measured in sitting days rather than weeks.
“The whole process won’t necessarily be done and dusted just in a few days, but the actual parliamentary process can be that quick.”
UK Home Secretary James Cleverly looks on as Britain’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak holds a press conference on Wednesday, following the Supreme Court’s Rwanda policy judgement
(Getty Images)
Tara Cobham16 November 2023 07:24
ICYMI: Sunak’s Rwanda plan in tatters after Supreme Court judges rule it unlawful
Matt Mathers16 November 2023 07:00
ICYMI: Sunak dumps Braverman’s plan to ban tents for homeless people
Matt Mathers16 November 2023 06:00
ICYMI: More than 50 criminal investigations begin into suspected fraud linked to Covid support schemes
More than 50 criminal investigations have started into suspected fraud linked to Covid-19 support schemes, according to Jeremy Hunt.
The Chancellor added that a total of 80 arrests have been made so far as he responded to concerns from Labour.
Matt Mathers16 November 2023 05:00
ICYMI: Chinese state media hails David Cameron’s appointment as foreign secretary
Matt Mathers16 November 2023 04:00
ICYMI: Boost for Rishi Sunak as he meets pledge to halve inflation
Matt Mathers16 November 2023 03:00
ICYMI: Starmer accuses Sunak of ‘fanboying’ over Elon Musk in heated exchange
Sir Keir was referencing Mr Sunak’s talk with the controversial X/Twitter owner about artificial intelligence (AI) in front of an audience of business chiefs at the beginning of November.
Mr Sunak described Mr Musk as a “brilliant innovator and technologist”.
Starmer accuses Sunak of ‘fanboying’ over Elon Musk in heated exchange
Sir Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of “fanboying” over Elon Musk in a heated exchange during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 15 November. The prime minister and Labour leader traded blows after Mr Sunak sacked Suella Braverman as home secretary and appointed Lord David Cameron as foreign secretary. Sir Keir was referencing Mr Sunak’s talk with the controversial X/Twitter owner about artificial intelligence (AI) in front of an audience of business chiefs at the beginning of November. Mr Sunak described Mr Musk as a “brilliant innovator and technologist”.
Matt Mathers16 November 2023 02:00
ICYMI: MPs laugh as Sunak asked what Cameron’s ‘finest foreign policy achievement’ is
Laughter rang out in the House of Commons as Rishi Sunak was asked to name David Cameron‘s “finest foreign policy achievement” during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 15 November, Holly Patrick reports.
The former Conservative prime minister made a shock return to government on Monday after being appointed foreign secretary in a cabinet reshuffle.
Lord Cameron stood down as prime minister and quit as an MP after losing the Brexit referendum, which he had called, in 2016.
He will avoid regular grillings by MPs because of his position in the House of Lords.
MPs laugh as Sunak asked what Cameron’s ‘finest foreign policy achievement’ is
Laughter rang out in the House of Commons as Rishi Sunak was asked to name David Cameron’s “finest foreign policy achievement” during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 15 November. The former Conservative prime minister made a shock return to government on Monday after being appointed foreign secretary in a cabinet reshuffle. Lord Cameron stood down as prime minister and quit as an MP after losing the Brexit referendum, which he had called, in 2016. He will avoid regular grillings by MPs because of his position in the House of Lords.
Matt Mathers16 November 2023 01:01
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