Right-wing Tories say they cannot back emergency Rwanda bill during crunch vote
Mark Francois, speaking on behalf of five right-wing Conservative groups, said the ‘bulk’ of their memberships would abstain.
Right-wing Conservative MPs will not be backing Rishi Sunak’s emergency Rwanda legislation – with the “bulk” of them expected to abstain, according a spokesman.
Tories from the European Research Group (ERG) and four other factions met in a Parliamentary committee room to decide on whether to support the Prime Minister’s Safety of Rwanda Bill at second reading.
After the meeting, Mark Francois, speaking on behalf of what has been dubbed the “five families”, said each separate group had decided they could not support the draft legislation.
Asked by reporters what that meant for Tuesday’s crunch vote, Mr Francois said: “We are not supporting the Bill. The bulk of us will abstain.”
But the right-wing factions said their members will not support the Bill and will instead push for changes to be made in the new year when it returns to the Commons.
Ahead of the Commons vote, hardliners on the Tory right were pushing for measures to block interference from foreign courts in UK plans to send asylum seekers arriving in small boats across the Channel to Rwanda.
But Home Secretary James Cleverly suggested the legislation was already close to the limits of what would be possible.
ERG leader Mr Francois told reporters in Westminster: “We have decided collectively that we cannot support the Bill tonight because of its many omissions.
He added: “The Prime Minister has been telling colleagues today he is prepared to entertain tightening the Bill.
“With that aim, at the committee stage, we will aim to table an amendment which would we hope, if accepted, would materially improve the Bill and remove some of its weaknesses.”
The statement came after the Tory “five families” – the ERG, New Conservatives, Common Sense Group, the Conservative Growth Group and Northern Research Group – met in Westminster’s Portcullis House to decide their next move.
The outcome of that meeting means Mr Sunak could face defeat on his flagship legislation.
If all non-Conservative MPs oppose the plan, a revolt by 29 Tories could be enough to defeat the Safety of Rwanda Bill at its second reading – something that has not happened to a piece of government legislation since 1986.
