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Tory Chairmen Resign Over Rwanda Bill As Sunak Faces ‘No-Confidence’ Votes

Aaliah Patel
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak behind a podium that says 'stop the boats'

18/01/2024. London, United Kingdom. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during a press conference in 9 Downing Street. Picture by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street

Aaliah Patel

The controversial Rwanda Bill passed its third reading on the 17th January, despite a Tory rebellion by the party’s deputy Chairmen over the legislation.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces pressure as no-confidence letters were submitted following the vote, although ministers denied claims of a Tory split over the issue.

Why Have Tory Chairmen Resigned?

Tory Deputy Chairmen Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith resigned the day before the crucial vote, sparking a Tory revolt over the bill.

In a joint letter, the now ex-Chairmen stated: “Whilst our main wish is to strengthen the legislation, this means that in order to vote for amendments we will therefore need to offer you our resignations from our roles.”

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Anderson and Clarke-Smith justified in the letter they are not against the legislation and they “want it to work.” However, Tory rebels believe the legislation needs to be “beefed up” in order to deter illegal migration.

A source from Downing Street told BBC News: “This is the toughest legislation ever brought before Parliament to tackle illegal migration.

“We must pass this bill to deliver what all Conservatives want — a credible plan to stop the boats.”

Critical of the Rwanda Bill, Labour’s shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper said, “The more we hear about the government’s Rwanda scheme, the more obvious it becomes that this is an extortionate con that won’t fix the Tory chaos in our immigration system.

“It’s time the Tory government was honest with the public, and publish both the papers outlining Rishi Sunak’s concerns and the full details of the cost of the scheme.

“The prime minister will ask his divided and sceptical backbench MPs to vote for a Rwanda scheme he clearly doesn’t believe in and which he refuses to set out the costs for.”

Despite opposition, the bill was passed by the House of Commons in a vote of 320 to 276.

Just 11 MPs — including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman — voted against the bill, seeking to deter illegal migration by sending migrants to Rwanda in East Africa. To derail the bill, those against the legislation would have needed the vote of 29 additional Tory MPs.

Eighteen Conservative MPs did not record a vote.

The bill has now been handed to the House of Lords where it is expected to face opposition.

The Lords will scrutinise and examine the legislation before deciding whether to amend or reject the bill and can suggest changes that would delay progress.

Sunak has pushed for the Lords to pass the bill as “an urgent national priority.”

He continued: “Will the opposition in the appointed House of Lords try and frustrate the will of the people as expressed by the elected House? Or will they get on board and do the right thing?”

Sunak Faces Votes Of ‘No-Confidence’

Although the Tory revolt failed to materialise, Sky News reported several letters of no confidence were submitted, posing a threat to Sunak’s leadership in the run-up to a general election.

At least 53 MPs would have to vote no-confidence for his leadership to be called. Andrea Jenkyns, Tory MP for Morely and Outwood, said “about 29” MPs have already submitted letters.

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Jenkyns said: “We’ve got to replace Rishi and even though he won that vote last night, I’m hearing that more letters are going in today, and I still think he’s on borrowed time.

“I’d be very surprised if he’s taking us into the election.

“A couple of weeks ago I did a tally, it was about 29 MPs who told me, but that was pre this disastrous polling, what we’ve seen at the weekend and pre this Rwanda farce, what’s happened the last 24 hours.”

Is Sunak Under Leadership Threat?

Challenges to Sunak’s leadership have also come to light in a YouGov poll of 14,000 people that indicated the Conservatives could hold onto a mere 169 seats at the next general election.

It also predicted that Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, could enter Downing Street with a majority of 385 seats.

The next general election is set to take place in the second half of 2024.

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Featured image courtesy Number 10 via Flickr. No changes have been made to this image. Image licence found here.

Politics & Current Affairs writer

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