Robert Jenrick quits frontbench over Rwanda bill, piling pressure on Sunak

The government of Rishi Sunak faced additional turmoil as the immigration minister resigned mere hours after the prime minister proposed a bill to preserve his deportation policy to Rwanda.

Robert Jenrick resigned from his position when it was discovered that the government was unable to supersede international laws that prevented them from relocating asylum seekers to central Africa.

The Member of Parliament representing Newark released a statement on X, where they stated that Sunak's bill demonstrates "the victory of optimism over knowledge." This will result in the policy being contested in court once again.

Jenrick stepping down may be interpreted as an effort to lead the increasing conservative opposition that strives to enable the UK to act independently and operate flights to Kigali.

This development happens a few weeks after Suella Braverman, who was previously in charge of home affairs, quit her position and blamed Sunak of being too optimistic and avoiding necessary immigration decisions.

Jenrick was previously considered a trusted political colleague of Sunak's, but he has now expressed that he cannot endorse the legislation being proposed for the Commons. He believes that it does not offer us the highest likelihood of achieving success.

The type of bill you suggest is based more on optimism than practical experience. It is crucial that we seek tougher protections for the sake of the country to put a stop to the constant cycle of legal battles that could potentially cripple the program and undermine its purpose to discourage others from wrongdoing. This is what he said.

The proposed bill gives ministers the authority to disregard certain rulings from Strasbourg. The bill falls short of completely exiting or revoking the European convention on human rights.

The Conservative right has faced opposition from critics who argue that the decision could potentially result in legal challenges by individuals, which may cause a hindrance in the takeoff of planes headed to Rwanda.

Sunak expressed his gratitude towards Jenrick's work but highlighted his belief that the Rwanda policy would be a success. Although he was disappointed with Jenrick's resignation, he emphasized that they both shared the same aim of halting the boats by sending flights to Rwanda. Sunak was concerned that Jenrick's decision to step down was based on a flawed understanding of the situation and the government's past experience gave him confidence in the policy's effectiveness.

The UK government has proposed an extremely strict bill on illegal migration. According to this bill, parliament considers Rwanda to be a safe destination for migrants, and no court is allowed to question this decision. Additionally, certain portions of the human rights act will not apply in this case. It is also up to the ministers to decide whether or not to follow any temporary restraining orders from the European court of human rights.

If we completely remove the courts, the whole system would crumble.

The news of Jenrick's resignation was announced earlier on Wednesday evening. Cleverly presented the bill to Members of Parliament together with Sunak, but Jenrick was not present.

Yvette Cooper, who is in charge of the shadow home, commented that rumors have spread that the immigration minister has stepped down. Although the home secretary shared the statement, the whereabouts of the minister remains unknown. Cooper suggested that the minister clarify if he still holds his position as immigration minister before responding to other questions.

The members of the Parliament who are not part of the government are in a state of conflict with each other. The competition for the next leadership position has already begun, causing chaos in the country once more, leading to negative consequences for the entire nation.

At first, Cleverly decided not to respond to numerous appeals for an elucidation. However, he received the news that the home office minister, Laura Farris, had verified Jenrick's resignation on LBC and then provided an answer.

The proposed Rwanda legislation on asylum and immigration did not go as far as withdrawing from the current convention. The bill also did not have any provisions that would enable government officials to disregard the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and any other international agreements related to granting asylum.

The proposed law needs parliamentary approval and would allow government officials to overlook parts of the Human Rights Act. Cleverly has acknowledged that he cannot guarantee that the law would meet Britain's commitments under the ECHR.

Yesterday evening, a number of Conservative Members of Parliament expressed their strong discontent towards the proposed legislation. A reliable informant near Braverman revealed that the bill was "completely flawed".

The head of the government has retained the option for all undocumented immigrants to submit personal appeals based on their human rights in order to prevent being deported and to further challenge those claims if their initial attempts are unsuccessful. However, this approach has significant flaws that can result in severe consequences.

According to the source, the decision is going to get stuck in legal battles for a long time. Furthermore, it will not succeed in preventing the arrival of unauthorised boats. This represents an additional let-down for those who voted for the Conservative party and the majority of citizens who stand for the national interest and wish to see this irrationality come to a halt.

Some Conservative MPs with right-wing views were dissatisfied with the proposed legislation as it does not exempt the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). They feel that asylum seekers could still apply for an injunction to prevent their deportation by flight. One MP commented that they don't understand how the new law would prevent individual legal challenges from taking place.

In the House of Commons, Sir John Hayes, a previous government official who supports Braverman, stated: "The recently appointed home secretary should be informed and satisfied knowing that his success will be evaluated based on how effectively this legislation performs not only in the coming weeks, months, and years but potentially even decades."

Former defense minister Mark Francois claimed that the home secretary deliberately avoided answering inquiries about specific appeals.

Since each person we intend to send to Rwanda is unique, what would be the purpose of the legislation if those individuals are able to continuously file appeals to postpone their departure?

In his response, Cleverly stated that including an appeal process in the new legal process is crucial. He emphasized that having an appeal process will not prevent individuals from being sent to Rwanda under the scheme.

Former Secretary of State for Home Affairs, Priti Patel, requested information on assessments carried out to ensure the strength and durability of legal challenges regarding the disapplication of the Human Rights Act and other laws.

The former home secretary, Braverman, recently addressed Members of Parliament and emphasized that the Conservative Party risked being destined for failure in future elections unless they forbid any interference by domestic or international laws to prevent deportation flights.

Before Jenrick's resignation was confirmed, Sunak had a meeting with the 1922 Committee where he discussed the newly published bill. He warned MPs that they needed to come together and work as a team in order to succeed, or else risk failing completely.

According to sources, it was stated that the UK authorities couldn't disregard the ECHR beyond a certain limit as the Rwandan government has made it clear that they want to adhere to global laws.

The government of Rwanda recently released a statement through Vincent Biruta, the foreign affairs minister, stating that if the UK were to engage in illegal activities, Rwanda would withdraw from the Migration and Economic Development Partnership. Biruta emphasized the importance of lawful conduct from the UK in order for the partnership to continue.

The officials from 10 Downing Street were contemplating two alternatives in the legislation. The initial option, known as the “semi-skimmed” option, aimed at removing only the UK's Human Rights Act during asylum proceedings. However, sources revealed that individual migrants could still file objections despite this measure.

The second option, which is the "full-fat" version, eliminated the judicial review power and added "notwithstanding clauses". These clauses would enable ministers to disregard the ECHR and other global agreements concerning asylum.

The government introduced a new plan as the second step towards getting their Rwanda policy back on track, as the supreme court held the previous policy to be illegal.

On Tuesday in Kigali, Cleverly inked a treaty that ensures migrants who have been relocated from the UK to Rwanda will not be returned to their homeland.

Sunak made a declaration in which he mentioned that by implementing groundbreaking emergency laws, they will be able to manage their borders efficiently, discourage individuals from taking dangerous journeys through the Channel, and put an end to the recurring legal disputes that are overwhelming their court system.

"We will exclude certain portions of the Human Rights Act in the main aspects of the bill, with a focus on Rwanda, to ensure that our strategy cannot be obstructed."

On Thursday, the legislation will be presented to the House of Commons, and a thorough discussion will follow in the coming week.

Pat McFadden, who coordinates Labour's national campaign, commented on Jenrick's resignation and stated that it confirms the need for a change in the country. He also emphasized that Keir Starmer's new Labour party is prepared for this change.

The citizens of Britain merit a leadership that will take action to address the concerns that are important to employed individuals, rather than a Conservative spectacle of tricks and power displays.