Robert Jenrick has resigned as immigration minister, dealing a fresh blow to Rishi Sunak's government just hours after the prime minister unveiled emergency legislation to salvage the Rwanda deportation policy. Jenrick said the bill was 'a triumph of hope over experience' and would not prevent further legal challenges.
In his resignation letter, the Newark MP argued that the proposed law did not go far enough to override international obligations, leaving the scheme vulnerable to individual legal claims. He warned that without stronger protections, the policy would be 'paralysed' by a 'merry-go-round of legal challenges'.
The emergency bill gives ministers powers to disregard some judgments from the European Court of Human Rights but stops short of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights entirely. Critics on the Conservative right say this still allows asylum seekers to seek injunctions to block their removal.
Sunak expressed disappointment, saying Jenrick's resignation was based on a 'fundamental misunderstanding'. He insisted the bill was the toughest ever proposed by a UK government and that ignoring the courts entirely would have caused Rwanda to withdraw from the scheme.
The resignation intensifies divisions within the Conservative Party, with some rightwing MPs branding the bill 'fatally flawed'. The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, accused the government of 'open warfare' and 'chaos' as the party grapples with internal rebellion and leadership speculation.
