Rishi Sunak Avoids Defeat As UK Lawmakers Vote In Favour Of Rwanda Migration Bill

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak narrowly averted defeat in parliament on his emergency bill aimed at reinstating plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, overcoming a rebellion from dozens of his own MPs that exposed deep divisions within his party.

Sunak, who has staked his reputation on the controversial strategy despite persistent warnings of its impracticality, secured a 313 to 269 victory in the House of Commons on Tuesday after last-minute negotiations and parliamentary drama.

While the win allowed Sunak to push forward with his plan, it underscored his struggle to maintain control over his party. Moderate Conservatives, concerned about potential breaches of human rights obligations, expressed reservations, while right-wing politicians argued that the bill did not go far enough.

The fractured Conservatives, facing a 20-point deficit to the opposition Labour Party after 13 years in power, revealed their internal discord. Mark Francois, speaking on behalf of some right-wing Conservative lawmakers, stated they could not support the bill due to its numerous omissions and opted to abstain rather than support Sunak.

Despite party management’s directive for all Conservative lawmakers to back the bill, these abstentions hinted at potential future rebellions during subsequent parliamentary stages. Francois hinted at a revisit in January, with plans to table amendments and possibly vote against the legislation at a later date.

Reflecting the uncertainty around the outcome, Britain’s climate change minister, Graham Stuart, left critical COP28 climate talks in Dubai to return for the parliamentary vote.

In efforts to quell the rebellion, Sunak signaled during a breakfast meeting in Downing Street that amendments to the legislation could be considered later, aiming to persuade potential rebels to back down and avoid a revolt that would have thwarted the bill.