Displaying items by tag: Conservative MPs

Rishi Sunak's Rwanda bill, aimed at preventing legal challenges to the UK's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, has passed the House of Commons with 320 votes in favour and 276 against. Despite initial concerns from some Conservative MPs, only 11 voted against the bill. The legislation now faces opposition in the House of Lords. Sunak's government argues that this policy will deter migrants from illegally crossing the Channel into the UK. However, Labour criticises it as an ineffective and costly 'gimmick’. The plan has sparked divisions within the Conservative Party, with MPs like Robert Jenrick proposing amendments to bypass parts of human rights law, which were ultimately not adopted. Home secretary James Cleverly defended the bill as a clear message against illegal entry into the UK. The bill's passage in the Commons is a temporary victory for Sunak, but more challenges await in the House of Lords.