Rishi Sunak’s premiership appears to be in the balance as the so-called “star chamber” of Tory lawyers concluded his emergency plans to rescue the ailing Rwanda asylum scheme are “not fit for purpose”.
The verdict, which will be closely watched by rebel MPs, sets the prime minister up for a potential defeat in a crucial Commons vote on Tuesday, in a struggle now reminiscent of Theresa May’s fight with a bitterly divided Conservative Party over Brexit.
The bill is a last-ditch bid to get planes in the air after the Supreme Court ruled the government’s previous plans illegal, however right-wing Tories are now urging No 10 to override the European Conventions on Human Rights, after the chair of the team of lawyers signalled the bill is not “sufficiently watertight”.
With the vote requiring a rebellion of only 28 Tories to fail, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is set to say the Conservatives cannot govern while they are “fighting like rats in a sack” in a speech on Tuesday.
