Jump directly to the content
BILL BOTHER

Suella Braverman warns Tory MPs could resign if Rwanda Bill is not fixed

The former Home Secretary told GB News that she hadn't met a single MP who thought that the Bill would work

SUELLA Braverman strongly hinted Rishi Sunak's ministers could resign if his flagship Rwanda Bill is not fixed next week.

The former Home Secretary said she will vote against the legislation if the Prime Minister doesn't accept the changes in a Commons showdown.

File photo dated 3/10/2023 of Suella Braverman who has said that Rishi Sunak's Rwanda deportation policy is doomed to fail as she piled fresh pressure on the Prime Minister over his strategy to stop small boats. The former home secretary, who was sacked from her Cabinet job last month, warned that the "time for talk" on tackling illegal immigration is over. Issue date: Thursday December 7, 2023. PA Photo. See PA story POLITICS Rwanda. Photo credit should read: Justin Tallis/PA Wire
1
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman said there could be Tories ready to resign if the Rwanda Bill is not toughened upCredit: Justin Tallis / PA Wire

Fifty backbenchers, including former PM Liz Truss, have backed the amendments tabled by ringleader Robert Jenrick, who quit as immigration minister over the legislation last month.

The Tory rebels insist the Bill would still allow the policy to be derailed by a wave of individual appeals and want ministers to ignore judgments from the Strasbourg court.

Speaking to GB News, the former Cabinet minister said: “We have engaged constructively, we want this Bill to work, it currently does not and I'm afraid does a disservice to the British public.

“It amounts to a betrayal to the British public.”

READ MORE ON THE RWANDA BILL

She added: “If there are no improvements to it, I will have to vote against it.”

Asked whether other ministers share her concerns and have considered resigning, she said: “Well, personally speaking, I have been… very concerned by the high number of ministers to whom I have spoken, who have grave reservations about this Bill.”

After being pressed on how many, she replied: “Oh, dozens. I actually haven't spoken to many ministers who genuinely believe that this bill is going to work.

“Privately, under their breath they say to me, we know this Bill won't work.”

Topics