Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Deportation Bill Survives Third Reading in Commons After Tory Rebels Back Down

On Wednesday evening, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Deportation bill survived the third reading in the House of Commons after Tory rebels backed down, further undermining Sunak's authority.

Downing Street praised the result as a "major step" in its plan to combat illegal migration.

Rishi Sunak's Rwanda Deportation Bill Passes Third Reading

(Photo : Leon Neal/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves number 10, Downing Street ahead of the weekly PMQ session in the House of Commons on January 17, 2024 in London, England.

In a crucial 11-hour meeting of more than 45 Tory rebels, the leaders decided that voting with Labour to oppose the bill during an election year may potentially bring down the government. Former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick and Home Secretary Suella Braverman voted against the bill, along with the other 11 Conservative hardliners, and passed by 320 votes to 276, a majority of 44.

On Wednesday evening, LBC's political editor, Natasha Clark, said that the government would sigh with relief after the vote went in the ministers' favor. Downing Street was relieved after several days of turmoil and infighting at Westminster, where dozens of Tories rebelled to support amendments to try to toughen up the legislation.

As a result, the bill will now go for debate in the House of Lords after passing the Commons. Sunak will have to fight even harder against peers already threatening to amend the Rwanda deportation plan in the House of Lords to ensure it complies with international law.

The legislation will face legal challenges from people threatened with deportation to Rwanda. Government attorneys have stated there is only a "50/50" chance that the first flight will take off before an autumn general election.

According to The Guardian, the Home Office has already selected the first 100 people who will be deported. The officials said the cases had been chosen as there were no apparent grounds for appeal.

Tory MPs Voted Against Rwanda Bill

Tory rebels wrote their own Rwanda bill, which they said would block any migrant appeals against deportation without going against international law.

A total of 11 Tory MPs voted against the bill, including former Cabinet Minister Simon Clarke, veteran Tory Bill Cash, and New Conservatives leaders Miriam Cates and Danny Kruger. A further 18, from both wings of the party, abstained.

However, others were concerned that voting against the bill would immediately throw the government into chaos and leave the Tories facing electoral oblivion. The Tory MP Bob Seely said, "We kill the bill tonight, we can all go and look for new jobs, so that is what we are facing."

Conservative MP Tim Loughton advised Conservative MPs who intended to vote against the bill to "stop and consider before they pull the pin out of another grenade."