Rishi Sunak faces key Rwanda vote after Tory deputy chairmen resign
Rishi Sunak is facing a pivotal vote on his Rwanda bill, following the resignation of two Conservative deputy chairmen and a ministerial aide who opted to rebel on the matter.
On Tuesday, Lee Anderson, Brendan Clarke-Smith, and Jane Stevenson stepped down from their positions, expressing their intent to vote for amendments aimed at strengthening the legislation. In a setback to the Prime Minister’s authority, 60 Tory MPs supported these rebel amendments.
While No 10 remains optimistic about the overall passage of the bill, there are indications of potential concessions being considered. Parliamentary discussions on proposed changes to the legislation, designed to discourage Channel crossings by reinstating the government’s plan to relocate some asylum seekers to Rwanda, are set to continue in the Commons on Wednesday. The bill will be subject to a vote afterwards if it remains unaltered.
Should approximately 30 Tory MPs align with opposition parties in voting against the bill at its final stage in the Commons, it could face defeat. At least four Conservative MPs, including former ministers Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, have publicly stated their readiness to vote against the bill unless improvements are made. However, the extent of additional potential defections remains uncertain.
