British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s urgent proposal to restart sending asylum seekers to Rwanda passed in parliament, overcoming a rebellion by many of his own MPs, revealing deep divisions within his party, reports Aljazeera.
Sunak, staking his reputation despite warnings, clinched a 313-269 victory in the House of Commons for his asylum plan after intense last-minute negotiations and parliamentary drama on December 12.
Even with the win, the outcome revealed the prime minister’s ongoing struggle to keep a tight grip on his party.
Moderate Conservatives stated they won’t back the proposed law if it leads to a breach of Britain’s human rights commitments, while right-wing politicians argued that it falls short of their expectations.
Sunak’s fractured Conservatives have seen a decline in discipline, and after 13 years in power, they are lagging behind the opposition Labour Party by approximately 20 points, just ahead of an expected election in 2024.
Mark Francois – member of the Conservative Party – speaking on behalf of a group of right-wing Conservative lawmakers, stated, ‘We’ve collectively decided not to support the bill tonight due to its numerous omissions.’ They expressed their intention to abstain rather than endorse Sunak.
Party leaders instructed all Conservative Party lawmakers to support the bill, but the abstentions hinted at potential future rebellions in the upcoming stages of the parliamentary process.
Demonstrating Sunak’s uncertainty about the outcome, Britain’s Climate Change Minister, Graham Stuart, departed from the COP28 climate talks in Dubai to participate in the parliamentary vote, even with crucial negotiations ongoing.
The prime minister had to convey to potential rebels, in a breakfast meeting at Downing Street, that amendments could be made to the legislation later, urging them to reconsider and avoid a rebellion that could have doomed the bill.