A Tory rift has opened over the way forward with immigration policy, after Suella Braverman accused Rishi Sunak of “manifestly and repeatedly” failing to deliver in key policy areas.
In an open letter released yesterday after her departure, Ms. Braverman, the former home secretary, warned ahead of today’s Supreme Court ruling against the government’s Rwanda plan.
In the letter Ms. Braverman expressed scathing disappointment and cited fundamental policy disagreements with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, despite acknowledging that her time in office had been a “privilege.”
Ms. Braverman highlighted her commitment to the promises made during Mr. Sunak’s leadership campaign in 2022, emphasising key policy priorities, including reducing legal migration, addressing boat arrivals, delivering on the Northern Ireland Protocol, and ensuring statutory guidance protecting biological sex in schools.
The former home secretary also accused Mr. Sunak of failing to deliver on these promises, stating, “You have manifestly and repeatedly failed to deliver on every single one of these key policies.”
Criticising Mr. Sunak’s handling of legal matters related to boat arrivals, Ms. Braverman argued that the government’s lack of preparation for potential legal challenges has left the country in a precarious position.
She stated: “[Mr. Sunak’s] rejection of this path was not merely a betrayal of our agreement, but a betrayal of your promise to the nation that you would do ‘whatever it takes’ to stop the boats.”
Government ‘Wasted A Year’
Ms. Braverman told Mr. Sunak to prepare for a loss in the Supreme Court, saying: “If we lose in the Supreme Court, an outcome that I have consistently argued we must be prepared for, you will have wasted a year and an Act of Parliament, only to arrive back at square one.“Worse than this, your magical thinking—believing that you can will your way through this without upsetting polite opinion—has meant you have failed to prepare any sort of credible ‘Plan B.’”
Her words were seized on by the Labour benches in today’s Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQ’s).
Ms. Braverman stated that she had written multiple times to Mr. Sunak, stressing the need for a credible ‘Plan B’ regarding legal challenges related to boat arrivals. She highlighted the absence of any formal response, indicating a severe rift in communication on this issue.
Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s former Number 10. chief adviser, took to X to reveal that government lawyers had informed Mr. Sunak, back in January, that the Rwanda scheme was destined to fail.
He also asserted the same legal advisors had earlier conveyed to Boris Johnson, in 2020, that stopping boats would require confronting the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Human Rights Act (HRA), claiming that, “The Tories have thrown misinformation at the media for years about this obvious fact.”
Laying out his views on the Supreme Court ruling, Mr. Cummings opined that, “a serious government will also have to rewrite the primary legislation to remove the Supreme Court’s power to block the first role of government—security from violence.”
Sir John Hayes, a key ally of Suella Braverman, has advocated for the UK’s withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the implementation of “notwithstanding” legislation.
Withdrawing from the ECHR ‘Plan B’
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s “World At One” program, the Conservative MP argued that the ECHR has transformed over time, far past its original intent of international cooperation post-World War II to prevent past horrors.Sir John added: “In the short-term, a simpler process would be to have a piece of legislation that says, notwithstanding the obligations described, notwithstanding some of the things the court drew on today, that we will effect our policy.
“I hope that is what will be brought forward. It is what some people have described as a ‘Plan B.'”
Both Mr. Sunak and senior members of cabinet have expressed their continued support for the Rwanda scheme, saying they will do all they can to ensure that it becomes viable in the future.
Today James Cleverly, the new Home Secretary, announced the government’s response to the ruling, claiming that the government’s plan is “working.”
In a statement following PMQ’s, he said: “We are tackling illegal migration at every stage in the journey of a would-be illegal migrant. Our plan is working.
“Last year the prime minister agreed the largest-ever small boats deal with France, we have expanded our joint intelligence cell to deepen intelligence sharing and dismantle the criminal gangs, cutting-edge surveillance technology is in play, and we have beefed up security infrastructures such as CCTV at key border crossings across the channel.
Sunak’s Response To Antisemitism Criticised
In her letter, Ms. Braverman also expressed dissatisfaction with Mr. Sunak’s response to rising antisemitism and extremism, particularly in the aftermath of Hamas’s terrorist activities.She accused Mr. Sunak of having displayed a weak response to the threat, urging legislative action to address “hate marches” and combat racism and terrorism.
“Another cause for disappointment—and the context for my recent article in the Times—has been your failure to rise to the challenge posed by the increasingly vicious antisemitism and extremism displayed on our streets since Hamas’s terrorist atrocities of Oct. 7.”
Lance Forman, the former MEP for London and a prominent member of the Jewish community in the capital, expressed his support for Ms. Braverman’s sentiment.
Speaking via text to The Epoch Times today, Mr. Forman said: “Suella is absolutely right. The police have not clamped down on genocidal calls against Israel, calls for Jihad and Intifada in the UK.
“One does wonder if they themselves have been infiltrated by enemies of the state or whether this is simply fear and incompetence on behalf of the Met. Either way it needed to be called and dealt with.”
Mr. Forman added: “The British Jewish community live in fear, and never before have I heard so many questioning how much longer our community can live safely in Britain.
“This is a tragedy brought about by weak leadership, coupled with a biassed media (especially the BBC) and a leftist and misguided academia which inverts the truth of the Israel-Palestine struggle.”
Ms. Braverman’s biting resignation letter concluded with a call for urgent change, asserting that Mr. Sunak’s plan is not working, and the government is running out of time.
Tories Divided Over Way Forward
Within the dissatisfied right of the Tory Party, opinions on what that change might look like are heavily divided.Stephen Greenhalgh, the Conservative peer, commented to The Epoch Times that, “a change of leader” would be the way to reinstate confidence within party leadership.
Baron Greenhalgh, a staunch political ally of former prime minister Mr. Johnson, confirmed that he would not be backing a specific candidate at this stage, adding that in the wake of Mr. Johnson’s departure from frontline politics, he was still, “mourning the departure of our greatest political asset.”
Expressing his belief that Mr. Johnson would return to frontline politics, he confirmed: “Yes. But not this side of the general election.”
With the full support of Sir John Hayes, who chairs the Common Sense Group, a collective of Tory MPs numbering around 60, many believe that should letters of no confidence in the prime minister reach the required threshold in the coming days, Ms. Braverman may well be poised for another tilt at the party leadership.
One Westminster insider told The Epoch Times that Ms. Braverman’s chances of securing the vote for the top spot from the more traditional wing of the party was “most likely.”
A contest for Tory leadership this close to a general election will undoubtedly be the last thing that senior members of government want in the build up to a general election.
Yet with the latest polling showing the Conservative Party 30 points adrift of Labour, and only eight points ahead of Reform UK, dissatisfied MPs may now feel cornered into taking action.
