Newslinks for Wednesday 6th December 2023 | Conservative Home

Immigration 1) Sunak ‘takes middle way on Rwanda’ in bid to head off rebellion

“Ministers have privately assured Conservative MPs that Rishi Sunak’s emergency law to revive the government’s Rwanda deportation policy will not breach Britain’s international human rights obligations. Government sources said the prime minister has settled on a “middle way” in the hope of winning the support of the “vast majority” of Conservative MPs. The text of the legislation is still being finalised but Downing Street is aiming to publish it by the end of Thursday. The Times understands that Sunak has ruled out the most hardline option — demanded by dozens of MPs on the right of the party, including Suella Braverman, the former home secretary — which would have meant opting out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) on asylum cases.” – The Times

• Ministers ‘threaten to quit’ over Rwanda flights law – The Daily Telegraph
• Rwanda plan won’t work or address our migration fears, say ‘Red Wall’ Tory voters – The I
• MPs ‘lobby to change legislation’ as splits emerge over Rwanda policy – The Guardian
• Who will Sunak side with in his Rwanda fight: Tory MPs or the establishment? – Eliot Wilson, Daily Express

Immigration 2) Cleverly signs new Rwanda treaty in effort to revive UK asylum plan

“Home secretary James Cleverly signed a new asylum deal with Rwanda on Tuesday to revive the UK’s troubled plan to send migrants to the African nation and head off criticism over the government’s record on migration. The treaty signed in Kigali came ahead of “emergency legislation” to push through the policy set to be introduced in Westminster as soon as this week to overcome a UK Supreme Court ruling that the Rwanda policy is unlawful. Cabinet ministers have been bitterly divided over the extent to which the legislation should attempt to extricate the UK from its obligations to refugees under domestic and international law. Cleverly said…in Kigali the treaty “addressed” the issues raised by the Supreme Court and that he saw no “credible reason” it would be blocked again.” – The Financial Times

• Asylum seekers jailed for serious crimes in Rwanda will be sent back to the UK – The Daily Telegraph
• UK taxpayers will pay more than original £140 million to Rwanda under new treaty – The I
• Judges have ‘no reason’ to block Rwanda migrants deal, says Cleverly – Daily Express
• Rwanda treaty may satisfy our supreme court but it still won’t stop Labour from scrapping policy – Editorial, The Sun
• Cleverly’s sober approach to immigration might actually work – Eliot Wilson, The I

Immigration 3) New visa rules will ruin relationships, Sunak told

“Weddings will be cancelled next summer and thousands of relationships will be affected by Rishi Sunak’s decision to double the income threshold needed to bring a foreign partner to the UK, the government’s own migration advisers have warned. From spring next year, British residents who want to live in the UK with their foreign partner or spouse will have to earn at least £38,700, up from £18,600. Experts who sit on the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said that the change will throw wedding plans into disarray because many of those intending to marry foreign citizens next summer in the UK or overseas will no longer meet the minimum salary threshold needed to live together in Britain.” – The Times

• New migration rules could lead to ‘big increase in rushed marriages’, Labour warns – The Daily Telegraph
• But they will keep migration crackdown on health worker relatives – The I
• UK migrant families left in limbo over new income rules – The Financial Times
• How Germany came to regret its open borders policy – and why a controversial ‘migrant manifesto’ is causing such a stir – The Sun
• Tories won’t get boost from voters because of migration crackdown, pollsters warn – The I
• Britain has opened up its welfare state to the world – Sam Ashworth-Hayes, The Daily Telegraph
• What Jenrick gets wrong about immigration – Anne McElvoy, The I

Immigration 4) Cameron defends the ECHR and insists UK will remain under European court’s laws

“Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has said an immigration policy that “works for our country” is “consistent with remaining in the European Court of Human Rights”. When asked about the UK’s membership, he said: “I can go back as far as 2005 and point to speeches that I made that said we always have to put our national interest first, whether that is the need to deport dangerous terrorists, whether it is the need to have an immigration policy that works for our country… So that sort of flexibility may well be necessary in the future.” Mr Cameron was grilled on Brexit and Elgin Marbles during his first monthly question time as Foreign Secretary in the House of Lords… A revamped deal on post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland… Lord Cameron said.” – Daily Express

• Cameron carries on regardless in the Lords – Tom Peck, The Times
• He is a star to this political generation the way Vera Lynn was to the last – Tim Stanley, The Daily Telegraph
• Cameron could have been a doctor touring the day room at a care home, basting them all in Cameron butter. How the House of Lords loved it – Quentin Letts, The Daily Mail 

Sunak ‘suffers major Tory rebellion’ in vote on Net Zero plans

“Rishi Sunak has suffered one of the biggest rebellions of his premiership as dozens of Tory MPs including Suella Braverman and Dame Priti Patel voted against his net zero plans. The two former home secretaries joined backbenchers to oppose a quota on sales of electric cars. The measure was passed with Labour’s support on Monday evening but will be a worry to Mr Sunak as Tory rebels reached the “magic number” of 26 – the number of his own MPs that would overturn his majority. It came minutes after he suffered his first defeat in the Commons, with MPs – including 22 Conservatives – voting to speed up compensation for victims of the infected blood scandal. Senior Tories are worried that Mr Sunak…is reneging on the commitment.” – The Daily Telegraph

• The Prime Minister has just days to save his premiership – David Maddox, Daily Express

Ministers to time UK blood scandal payouts to avoid jeopardising pre-election tax cuts

“Ministers are drawing up plans to establish a £10bn to £20bn compensation scheme for the victims of the UK’s long-running infected blood scandal but will schedule the payouts so they do not jeopardise pre-election tax cuts. The Treasury said a House of Commons defeat for the Conservative government on Monday over compensation would not affect its original plans to respond only after it receives a final report from the public inquiry into the NHS transfusion scandal. The inquiry’s findings are due in March next year. Crucially, the timing means Jeremy Hunt, chancellor, would not be expected to sign off on the massive compensation package until after his pre-election Budget — expected in late February or early March.” – The Financial Times

• The Government must honour the Commons vote to fast-track long overdue funds to victims of the contaminated blood scandal – Editorial, The Times
• A resolution to the debt scandal is further off than ever – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph

Johnson ‘fails to give key WhatsApp messages’ to Covid inquiry

“Boris Johnson has been unable to supply the Covid-19 inquiry with any of his WhatsApp messages for almost the entirety of the first lockdown. Johnson was advised to stop using his old phone in May 2021 after it emerged that his number had been freely available online for 15 years. He was initially unable to hand over WhatsApp messages to the inquiry because he could not remember the passcode. Earlier this year he was able to access the device with the support of experts and it had been assumed the messages were passed on. However, Johnson has told the inquiry that even with access to the device, experts were unable to retrieve any of his messages from January 31 to June 7, which covers a critical period from the run-up to the first Covid lockdown to the easing of restrictions.”- The Times

• He ‘believes Covid Inquiry should examine lockdown harms’ – The Daily Telegraph
• Nine things to watch out for as Johnson faces Covid inquiry – The Times
• Johnson’s ‘Covid timeline’ from near death to Partygate and resignation – Daily Express
• He is ‘set to face a grilling’ – The Financial Times
• Johnson is accused of ‘trying to rewrite history’ before inquiry appearance – The Guardian
• ‘Why did the bodies have to pile high?’ Covid bereaved 10 questions for Johnson – The I
• He is to ‘come out fighting’: ‘I got the big calls right’ – Daily Express
• The devastating cost of shutting schools is becoming clear – Editorial, The Daily Telegraph
• What’s the point of Johnson attending the Covid show trial? Nosy lawyers just want to read his WhatsApps and trip him up – Ross Clark, The Sun
• The Covid inquiry has already made up its mind on who to blame: Johnson – Philip Johnston, The Daily Telegraph

Schools to be banned from ‘socially transitioning’ kids under new law proposed by Truss

“Schools would be banned from “socially transitioning” kids under a new law proposed by Liz Truss. The former Prime Minister will introduce a Bill in the Commons today making it illegal for teachers to use a child’s preferred pronouns. The proposed law, which doesn’t currently have government backing, would also make it illegal to give puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones to under-18s. It comes as the long-awaited trans guidance for schools is expected to be published by the Department for Education next week. Ms Truss also wants to change the law to clarify that anyone legally defined as a woman cannot have a penis. Her Bill is so far being backed by 11 Tory MPs, including ex-Home Secretary Priti Patel.” – The Sun

Raab ‘authorised MI6 operation that posed risk of torture’

“Dominic Raab authorised an operation by MI6 that posed “a real risk of torture” and likened his risk appetite for allowing the potential mistreatment of suspects as being akin to ordering a “spicy madras” curry. Documents released by the Foreign Office to MPs revealed that during his two years as foreign secretary Raab authorised at least three operations where MI6 had passed on intelligence to a foreign government where a suspect faced cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. In a further operation, which involved the passing of threat-to-life intelligence, there was a “real risk” that the subject involved would be tortured by the government to which the information was given… The same report also raised serious concerns about GCHQ’s security culture and systems.” – The Times

Vapes could be ‘prescription-only’ under a Labour government

“Vapes could be made prescription-only by a Labour government to stop children getting hooked on the “gateway drug”, the shadow health secretary has said. Wes Streeting said that the party was considering the move as he accused “Big Tobacco” and the vaping industry of “crying crocodile tears” about the rise of vaping among children. During a visit to Australia last week, he said that the vaping industry should be made to go “back to its roots” as a genuine smoking cessation aid…Last week, the Australian government announced plans to ban the import of disposable e-cigarettes, under a plan to make all vaping illegal without a prescription… It has been illegal since 2021 for any Australian to purchase vapes containing nicotine without a doctor’s prescription.” – The Daily Telegraph

• Scottish Labour leader attacks Thatcher’s legacy after Starmer’s ‘love-in’ – The Daily Telegraph
• Starmer’s Thatcher shock tactics won’t work – Daniel Finkelstein, The Times

News in Brief:

• Why are fewer people buying electric cars? – Ross Clark, The Spectator 
• Why all the Trump hysteria? – Martin Gurri, UnHerd 
• Whisper it, but Khan was right to block the sphere – Sam Bidwell, CapX 
• Burning effigies for the Man – Esme Partridge, The Critic 
• New millenium fascists – Oliver Eagleton, The New Statesman