In a dramatic parliamentary showdown that exposed deepening Conservative divisions, former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick launched a scathing critique of the government's flagship Rwanda asylum policy, branding it fundamentally flawed and insufficient to tackle the small boats crisis.
A Resignation That Echoes Through Westminster
Mr Jenrick, who dramatically quit his ministerial post last week, used his first Commons appearance since resigning to deliver a devastating assessment of the Prime Minister's emergency legislation. He warned MPs that the current plan represents a "triumph of hope over experience" and would fail to achieve the deterrent effect needed to stop Channel crossings.
The Legal Loopholes That Could Sink the Scheme
The former minister highlighted several critical weaknesses in the government's approach:
- Individual claims would continue: Asylum seekers would still be able to delay removal through last-minute legal challenges
- Inadequate deterrent effect: The scheme would only remove hundreds when thousands are crossing the Channel
- International law constraints: The legislation doesn't go far enough in disapplying human rights laws
"We need to exclude all avenues of challenge," Mr Jenrick insisted, arguing that the government's current approach leaves too many legal routes open for migrants to avoid removal to Rwanda.
Labour's Counter-Attack and Government Defence
Shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock seized on the internal Conservative conflict, labelling the Rwanda policy a "costly gimmick" that had become a "proxy war for the future of the Conservative Party." He accused the government of offering "magical thinking" rather than practical solutions.
In response, Illegal Migration Minister Michael Tomlinson defended the legislation as "the toughest immigration law ever passed" and insisted it would ensure those arriving illegally are detained and swiftly removed.
The Political Stakes Couldn't Be Higher
With the Prime Minister facing rebellion from both the right and left of his party, and the Supreme Court having already declared the previous Rwanda scheme unlawful, the government finds itself walking a political tightrope. The outcome of this bitter internal debate could determine both the fate of the Rwanda policy and potentially Rishi Sunak's leadership.
As Mr Jenrick warned his former colleagues, "We have one shot to get this right. We will not get another chance." The message from the former minister was clear: half-measures won't solve the small boats crisis, and the government is running out of time to deliver on its promises to the British public.
