Robert Jerrick to 'actively consider' voting against Rwanda bill if amendments rejected
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Robert Jerrick said he would “actively consider” voting against the Rwanda Security (Asylum and Immigration) Bill when it reaches the final stage of public use unless it is amended to his liking.
The former immigration minister, who resigned over his objections to the legislation in December, tabled the amendments alongside veteran rebel Sir Bill Cash to “strengthen” the government's approach.
The Rwanda the bill is at the committee stage House of Commons today and tomorrow, when deputies will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed amendments.
The bill will then have to pass a third reading vote, which is likely to take place tomorrow, before it is sent to the House of Lords for further consideration.
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Former Minister of Internal Affairs Suella Braverman already said that she will vote against Rwanda Bill if “no improvements”.
Sir Simon Clarke, a former cabinet minister under Boris Johnson Liz Trussalso promised to vote against the plan.
The rebels' amendments were supported by 63 deputies, including the deputy chairmen of the Conservative Party Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith.
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The Prime Minister is under pressure to fire the pair.
When asked if he could vote against the third reading, Robert Jerrick told GB news: “I hope the government will move and amend to create a bill that actually works.
“If they don't, I've made it clear that I'm not going to support the bill. And I will actively consider voting against it. Because the only thing that matters is what works, and I'm not going to support a bill that doesn't work.”
Writing on X/Twitter last night, Lee Anderson said: “Rwanda bill.
“I signed the Cash & Jenrick amendments.
“I will vote for them.”
His colleague, Conservative deputy leader Brendan Clarke-Smith, wrote: “When I was elected in 2019, I promised my constituents that we would take back control. I want this legislation to be as strong as possible, so I will support the Jericho/Cash amendments.
“These are the arguments I have consistently made and will continue to make.”
Mel Stridethe work and pensions minister, this morning refused to know whether Anderson and Clarke-Smith should continue in their duties as deputy leaders of the Conservative Party if they keep their word and rebel against the government.
Asked whether the pair would be able to continue in their official roles in the party if they voted for the amendments, Stride said Times Radio this morning: “These decisions are not for me.”
He said he understood “why people are very upset about this.”
He also called on MPs to unite around the bill, again saying Times Radio: “We can argue about exactly what form it should take. And the government was in listening mode.
“But at the end of the day, we have to come together around our clear plan to put a deterrent in place and stop these boats, as opposed to defeating the opposite side, which is Keir Starmer, with absolutely no plan that's going to lead to kind of an open situation at the border, and these problems are getting much worse.”
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