The Telegraph
23 April 2024
US can't foot the bill to keep UK and Europe safe, says Sunak
The US cannot foot the bill to keep the UK and Europe safe, Rishi Sunak said on Tuesday as he announced the Government would raise defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030.
Speaking at a press conference with Jens Stoltenberg, the Nato secretary general, the Prime Minister warned it was “not the moment for complacency”.
Mr Sunak said: “We cannot keep expecting America to pay any price or pay any burden if we ourselves are unwilling to make greater sacrifices for our own security.
“So I’m proud that the United Kingdom is increasing our defence spending to £87bn a year, the biggest strengthening of our national defence in a generation, guaranteeing our position as the second-largest defence power in Nato after the US.
“All across Europe countries like Poland, Germany, Norway and the Baltic nations are stepping up to take greater responsibility for our own security. And I’m confident whether in months or years others will follow too... We did not choose this moment, but it falls to us to meet it.”
You can recap the day below and join the conversation in the comments section here.
Labour: Tories ‘cannot be trusted’ to defend Britain
John Healey, Labour’s shadow defence secretary, has said the Conservatives “cannot be trusted on defence”.
“As Keir Starmer recently set out, Labour wants to see a fully funded plan to reach 2.5 per cent, but the Tories have shown time and time again that they cannot be trusted on defence and we will examine the detail of their announcement closely.
“The British public will judge ministers by what they do not what they say. Since 2010, the Conservatives have wasted more than £15 billion mismanaging defence procurement, shrunk the Army to its smallest size since Napoleon, missed their recruitment targets every year, and allowed morale to fall to record lows.
“Labour will conduct a strategic defence and security review in the first year in government to get to grips with the threats we face, the state of our Armed Forces, and the resources required.”
Starmer wears Gazelles weeks after Sunak was mocked for Adidas Sambas
Francois: If you want peace, prepare for war
Mark Francois, a member of the defence committee and a former Armed Forces minister, said: “As the first duty of Government is the defence of the realm, I warmly welcome today’s announcement on increased defence spending.
“Not only will this ensure that the MoD’s ten year Equipment Plan will now be fully affordable, it also includes an emphasis on placing our defence industry on a ‘war footing’ with reduced bureaucracy and increased stockpiles - to deter our potential adversaries. Si vis pacem, para bellum.”
Ellwood: We should be ‘under no illusion’ of global threats
Tobias Ellwood has welcomed Rishi Sunak’s announcement that defence spending will rise to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030.
Mr Ellwood, a former Armed Forces minister, said: “Having campaigned for this for some time I very much welcome the PM’s upgrade to our defence posture and moving our industry to a war footing.
“We should be under no illusion how the global threat picture is changing. And the role the UK will doubtless have once again to to play in defending our global order.”
Russia is failing but we cannot be complacent - Sunak
Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine has been a “huge failure” for Vladimir Putin, Rishi Sunak said.
He said the places Russia had made progress were “about the size of Basildon and Eastbourne” in the space of nine months of fighting, at a cost of tens of thousands of injured and dead Russian soldiers.
“We have been making the right investments, Nato is strong, our alliance is strong... On any of those objectives, Russia has not succeeded. But we cannot be complacent.”
Sunak ‘determined’ to see Rwanda plan through and ‘save lives’
There is “nothing compassionate” about allowing Channel crossings to continue, Rishi Sunak has said.
“That’s why we worked very hard to get our Rwanda Bill through the Commons late last night, despite the Labour opposition... People need to know that if they come to this country illegally, they won’t be able to stay.
“When we can demonstrate that deterrent, we will see the numbers come down and crucially save people’s lives in the process.
“And that is above and beyond all why I’m so determined to see this through.”
Rishi Sunak: It’s not right to reduce China to a ‘threat’
Asked by The Telegraph about the challenges posed by China, which the Prime Minister linked directly with extra cash for defence, and whether it was time to designate China as a threat, Rishi Sunak replied: “I think we’ve been consistently clear, that China is a country with different values.
“It is behaving in a way that is more authoritarian at home, more assertive overseas. And it’s right that we protect ourselves against that.
“Now I wouldn’t reduce complex foreign policy down to one word or phrase. But what I am confident about is that we are taking practical steps that keep us safe. We passed a National Security Investment Act, for example, and we’ve used that to block Chinese technology investment in sensitive sectors...
“That’s been our consistent approach to China, robust and tough to protect ourselves, but also recognising the fact China is an indisputable part of the global economy. So whether it’s on things like AI, climate change, public health, it’s important that we maintain a dialogue and find common ground but at the same time as I say recognise and protect ourselves against the risks and threats that it poses.”
Sunak hails ‘long-term’ funding guarantee
Rishi Sunak said not standing up for Ukraine would “cost us more in the long run at home”.
Minutes earlier, he had told reporters: “We’ll move past this stop-start piecemeal way of backing Ukraine so that alongside our long-term security guarantee.
“We are today providing a long-term funding guarantee of at least the current level of military support for Ukraine every year as long as it long as it is needed. It shows that Ukraine is not alone and will never be alone.”
Sunak: The UK will lead by example in more dangerous world
Asked whether spending on areas like schools and hospitals must “take a hit” to enable greater investment in defence, Rishi Sunak responded: “I wouldn’t characterise it in exactly that way because thanks to our management of the economy we’re able to make this announcement today.”
Mr Sunak talked up his economic record and said the UK was “in a far better place” with interest rates and energy bills falling.
“I think it’s because of that strong management of the economy that I can stand here and make this announcement. But what I would say is we do have to recognise we do live in a more dangerous world... That is threatening to our interests, undermining of our values and damaging to our allies.
“And in that environment the right thing for me to do, in fact my duty and obligation as a British Prime Minister, is to make sure that we are strengthening our national defence so I can keep our country safe. And that’s what this announcement reflects. It reflects the fact that the world is sadly a more dangerous and uncertain place and in that environment the UK will do what it has always done, lead by example.”
Nato chief: UK ‘leading by example’
Jens Stoltenberg hailed the UK for “leading by example” as he stressed “security is global”.
“We must work with our partners around the world to protect our transatlantic alliance...
“Nato is a defensive alliance. We do not seek conflict with Russia but we will keep our one billion people safe. The 10,000 Nato troops based in Poland send an unmistakable message... Mr Sunak, thank you again for the UK’s contribution to Nato.”
Sunak: America can’t ‘pay any price’ for defence and security
Rishi Sunak said “this was not the moment for complacency”.
“We cannot keep expecting America to pay any price or pay any burden if we ourselves are unwilling to make greater sacrifices for our own security.
“So I’m proud that the United Kingdom is increasing our defence spending to £87bn a year, the biggest strengthening of our national defence in a generation, guaranteeing our position as the second-largest defence power in Nato after the US.
“All across Europe countries like Poland, Germany, Norway and the Baltic nations are stepping up to take greater responsibility for our own security. And I’m confident whether in months or years others will follow too.”
Mr Sunak concluded: “We did not choose this moment but it falls to us to meet it.”
Ukraine is not alone and will never be alone, Sunak says
Rishi Sunak told the Warsaw press conference: “This is a generational investment... It makes us safer at home and stronger abroad.”
He singled out immediate priorities for the new investment - putting the UK’s defence industry “on a war footing”, while also prioritising innovation and new technology to innovate “faster than our adversaries in space and cyberspace just as in land, sea and air”.
“Today we go further. We will send Ukraine an additional £500m, hitting £3bn of support this year, and we will provide them with the largest ever package of UK military equipment.”
Mr Sunak said this would include four million rounds of ammunition and Storm Shadow guided missiles.
Sunak confirms defence will rise by 2.5 per cent of GDP
Rishi Sunak said he was “proud of our record on defence and confident in our ability to deter adversaries... But in a world that is its most dangerous since the end of the Cold War, we cannot and must not be complacent.
“As Churchill said in 1934, to urge the preparation of defence is not to insert the imminence of war. On the contrary, if war was imminent, preparations for defence would be too late. I believe we must do more to defend our country, our interests and our values.
“So today I’m announcing the biggest strengthening of our national defence for a generation. We will increase defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2030. That starts today and rises steadily in each and every year.
“Over the next six years, we’ll invest an additional £75bn in our defence and it will be fully-funded with no increase in bororwing or debt. So this is not some vague aspiration for the future. We have a clear plan for what we’ll spend, when we’ll spend it and how we’ll pay for it. A plan that makes the United Kingdom by far the largest defence power in Europe, and second-largest in Nato.”
Sunak warns China ‘trying to reshape the world’
Rishi Sunak said Russia had “already poisoned people on British soil, caused energy bills to soar, weaponised migration” and wreaked “devastation” in Ukraine.
He warned Iran was using proxies like the Houthis to “disrupt the supply of crucial goods”, while North Korea’s hackers had targeted British businesses and the NHS.
“Chinese-affiliated state actors have conducted malicious cyber campaigns against British MPs. China itself has engaged in a huge militarisation programme. Potential flashpoints in the Indo-Pacific could have an impact on the global economy far larger even than Covid, and China is increasingly working with others in trying to reshape the world.
“The new assertiveness of our authoritarian states far from our shores must concern us because they are increasingly acting together, against the fundamental values that we all hold dear of democracy, freedom and the rule of law. Now we must not overstate the dangers. We’re not on the brink of war and nor do we seek it, and people should feel reassured that the UK’s Armed Forces are some of the most well-trained, well-equipped and battle-ready in the world.”
Sunak: My first duty as Prime Minister is Britain’s security
Rishi Sunak told a press conference at a military base in Warsaw: “My first duty as Prime Minister is the security of the British people and fulfilling that profound responsibility is only responsible because of you.”
He said the British RAF pilots who intercepted Iranian missiles “were willing to put their own safety on the line for the security of others and our values”.
“On behalf of a proud and grateful nation, let me simply say thank you. I want to talk to you about how we equip you to do your duty in an increasingly dangerous world.
“We’ve entered a period in history in which competition between countries has sharpened profoundly. An axis of countries with different values to ours, like Russia, Iran, North Korea and China, are increasingly assertive. The danger they pose is not new but what is new is that these countries and their proxies are causing more instability, more quickly, in more places at once.
“They’re increasingly acting together, making common cause in an attempt to shape the world order. Now I know there are some people who will think they are far away problems. But they are not. They pose real risks to the United Kingdom’s security and prosperity.”
When is the next general election? The dates Sunak is considering
It is looking increasingly likely that Rishi Sunak will wait until the autumn to call a general election in order to give the new Rwanda deterrent time to take effect.
It had been rumoured that figures in Downing Street were mulling over whether it would be in the Tories’ interests to trigger a ballot sooner rather than later, despite being way behind Labour in the polls - with No 10 declining to rule out a vote in June or July.
But the Prime Minister has since made clear that it will take months worth of Rwanda flights to curb Channel crossings, which he wants to reduce to zero.
Mr Sunak once again refused to rule out a general election being held in July on a visit to Warsaw earlier today.
Sunak welcomed to Warsaw by Tusk and Stoltenberg
Rishi Sunak has been welcomed to Warsaw by Donald Tusk, the prime minister of Poland, and Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of Nato.
The trio shook hands with a row of troops standing in front of a series of tanks and other military vehicles before walking away.
Sunak to appoint top general as new national security adviser
Rishi Sunak said he will appoint a top general as his new national security adviser, all but confirming that the current role holder, Sir Tim Barrow, is being lined up to become Britain’s new ambassador to the US.
The Prime Minister said General Gwyn Jenkins, one of the most senior officers in the armed forces, has the “requisite set of skills” to provide him with national security advice and to help the Government navigate an “increasingly dangerous world”.
Sir Tim is expected to take over from Dame Karen Pierce at the British embassy in Washington DC.
Britain will boost defence spending to 2.5pc by 2030, Sunak to announce
Rishi Sunak is set to announce that Britain will spend 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence by 2030.
It means the UK is expected to commit £70 billion extra on core defence funding within six years than it does now, the equivalent of £9 billion a year.
An increase to 2.5 per cent would mean the UK was spending the fourth-highest amount as a percentage of GDP in Nato, behind Poland, the US and Greece.
The Government’s position has previously been that it would increase spending to 2.5 per cent when the fiscal and economic circumstances allow.
You can read the full story here.
Streeting: Sunak eyeing July election to avoid giving Rwanda plan ‘time to fail’
Rishi Sunak is rumoured to be eyeing up a July general election to avoid giving his Rwanda deportation “gimmick” the “time to fail”, a Labour frontbencher claimed.
Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said Westminster is “awash” with talk about the possibility of a July contest.
Speaking at health questions in the House of Commons, Mr Streeting said: “Westminster is awash with rumours that the Prime Minister is going to call a July general election, presumably to avoid giving his Rwanda gimmick the time to fail.
“So I have a very simple question for the minister: will he repeat the pledge the Prime Minister made last year and promise that NHS waiting lists will be lower at the time of the general election than when the Prime Minister came to office?”
Andrew Stephenson, a health minister, replied: “The Prime Minister has been very clear that getting waiting lists down is one of his top priorities, but he has also been clear that performance has been disappointing.
“One of the reasons performance has been disappointing is 1.4 million procedures have had to be rescheduled because of industrial action. So I would gently ask the shadow minister whether he condemns those strikes.”
Sunak refuses to rule out July election
Rishi Sunak has refused to rule out a general election being held in July.
The Prime Minister would only repeat his previous statement that his “working assumption” is the contest will be held in the second half of 2024.
Asked if he could rule out a July election, Mr Sunak told reporters travelling with him on the plane to Poland: “Every time you guys say that - and when I was chancellor and you would put all these ‘oh are you going to do this tax cut or this tax cut’.
“All I’m going to say is the same thing I say every time - as I said I think it was in the first week of January, my working assumption is an election in the second half of the year.”
‘Tragic’ Channel deaths ‘underscore’ importance of Rwanda deterrent, says PM
Rishi Sunak said the “tragic” incident reported in the Channel today “underscores” the need for the deterrent effect of his Rwanda plan.
The Prime Minister told reporters on the plane to Poland: “There are reports of sadly yet more tragic deaths in the Channel this morning. I think that is just a reminder of why our plan is so important because there’s a certain element of compassion about everything that we’re doing.
“We want to prevent people making these very dangerous crossings. If you look at what’s happening, criminal gangs are exploiting vulnerable people. They are packing more and more people into these unseaworthy dinghies.
“We’ve seen an enormous increase in the numbers per boat over the past few years. This is what tragically happens when they push people out to sea and that’s why, for matters of compassion more than anything else, we must actually break this business model and end this unfairness of people coming to our country illegally.
“I just want to pay tribute to our Border Force and the French who have cooperated as they always do to rescue people. But as I said it underscores why you need a deterrent very simply.”
PM and Zelensky discussed importance of air defence support
Rishi Sunak said he discussed air defence and long-range weapons with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on their call this morning.
Asked about Germany’s proposal to plug gaps in air defence, the Prime Minister told reporters on the flight to Poland: “I’d agree that air defence is one of the critical areas where Ukraine needs support.”
“He and I were talking about air defence this morning. We’ve consistently provided air defence support to Ukraine from the very beginning. You’ll see the package that we’ve announced today is the single biggest package of support that we’ve ever announced in one day.”
He said the two leaders also discussed “the importance of long-range”.
Rishi Sunak says Europe must spend more on defence
Rishi Sunak has warned other European countries they must spend more on defence if Ukraine is to be protected from Russian aggression, writes Nick Gutteridge in Warsaw.
Speaking on a visit to Poland, the Prime Minister said it was important for Europe to “invest in its own security”.
“When it comes to Ukraine we can’t lose sight of the fact that, on any level, what has happened so far has been a strategic failure from Russia,” he told reporters.
“Fundamentally we’re in a situation where defence spending is rising across Europe, the West is united and Nato has two new members, I don’t think anyone could say anything other that that has been a strategic failure for Russia.
“But it is important that we continue to support Ukraine and the UK has always led in that; first to provide lethal weapons, first to provide battle tanks, first to train troops; first to provide long range weapons, first to train pilots, first to sign a bilateral long-term security agreement, so we have continued to lead, again we’re stepping up because that is what the situation demands and requires.”
He added: “And if we are joined by other European partners in that, it is important that Europeans invest in their own security. Very welcome news over the weekend from the US but that doesn’t take away from the need for Europeans to invest in their security.
“I am very proud that the UK has always led in that regard. We are Europe’s largest defence spender and one of the few countries that’s consistently met the 2 per cent Nato pledge and today’s action is another example of us leading by example.”
Telegraph readers weigh in on Rwanda plan
Rishi Sunak vowed this morning that “nothing will stand in our way” on getting Rwanda flights off the ground (see the post below at 06.15).
But the Prime Minister’s critics believe the policy is destined to end up bogged down in the courts again.
Telegraph readers have been weighing in on the plan in the comments section of today’s politics live blog:
Jenrick urges EU to take action so ‘death trap’ small boats can be seized
Robert Jenrick has urged the European Union to take action to stop the “death traps masquerading as boats” used for Channel crossings from ever making it to the French coast.
The former immigration minister said Brussels needed to “grant member states legal cover” so they could seize the vessels.
Responding to the deaths in the Channel this morning, Mr Jenrick tweeted: “This is another intolerable tragedy. It’s a scandal these death traps masquerading as boats are travelling uninterrupted across the EU.
“EU must finally grant member states legal cover to seize these unseaworthy boats that are costing precious lives.
“The EU talk about ‘intensifying the fight against people smugglers’ but their actions never match their rhetoric.”
Britain has been lobbying the European Commission to give approval for states to use health and safety laws to seize the boats as being unseaworthy and so in breach of EU regulations.
Government insiders said previously the commission could issue an edict sanctioning the move, which would protect against legal action by those involved in the trade.
Sunak holds call with Zelensky as PM travels to Warsaw
Rishi Sunak has announced the UK is sending a record package of military aid to Ukraine.
The Prime Minister has unveiled £500 million in extra equipment, including air defence missiles, to thwart Russia’s bombardment of power stations.
The premier is today travelling to Warsaw and Berlin to meet the leaders of Poland, Germany and Nato.
Mr Sunak held a phone call with Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian President, this morning.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Mr Sunak had assured his opposite number of the UK’s “steadfast support for Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s brutal and expansionist ambitions”.
The spokesperson said: “He confirmed that the UK would provide an additional £500 million in immediate funding to support the highest priority capabilities, including further ammunition, air defence and drones – taking our support this year to £3 billion.”
Rwanda Bill a ‘stain on UK’s moral reputation’, claims charity
Amnesty International UK said the passing of the Rwanda Bill into law would “leave a stain on this country’s moral reputation”.
Sacha Deshmukh, Amnesty International UK’s chief executive, said: “The UK Parliament has passed a Bill that takes a hatchet to international legal protections for some of the most vulnerable people in the world and it is a matter of national disgrace that our political establishment has let this Bill pass.
“The Bill is built on a deeply authoritarian notion attacking one of the most basic roles played by the courts - the ability to look at evidence, decide on the facts of a case and apply the law accordingly.
“It’s absurd that the courts are forced to treat Rwanda as a ‘safe country’ and forbidden from considering all evidence to the contrary.”
British Red Cross: ‘Little, if any’ evidence Rwanda plan will deter crossings
The British Red Cross said there was “little, if any, evidence” that a deterrent scheme like the Rwanda plan would actually work.
Sal Copley, executive director of communications and external affairs for the British Red Cross, said: “People come to the UK for reasons we can all understand - to feel safe, be with family and lives their lives fully.
“There is little, if any, evidence to suggest that deterrence policies are effective.
“But we know from our work supporting displaced people around the world that policies like this can and do cause more suffering for men, women and children who have already fled war and persecution.”
Cleverly ‘will not accept status quo’ on Channel crossings
James Cleverly said he will not accept the “status quo” on small boat Channel crossings after reports that at least five migrants died today after their dinghy capsized.
The Home Secretary tweeted: “These tragedies have to stop. I will not accept a status quo which costs so many lives.
“This Government is doing everything we can to end this trade, stop the boats and ultimately break the business model of the evil people smuggling gangs, so they no longer put lives at risk.”
Yvette Cooper: Labour would replace Rwanda scheme
Yvette Cooper said the Rwanda scheme is an “extortionately expensive gimmick” and that if Labour wins the next election, they will scrap it.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the shadow home secretary said: “This is not a serious plan to actually tackle the problem.
“It’s costing around half a billion pounds for just 300 people to be sent to Rwanda, that’s less than 1 per cent of asylum seekers. It’s not addressing the 99 per cent, it’s not addressing the overall problem.
“That’s why Labour would replace the Rwanda scheme with a new plan to boost our border security, to go after the criminal gangs and their networks right across Europe.”
Minister won’t reveal details of who will be providing Rwanda flights
Michael Tomlinson would not say if the Government had done a deal with an airline to provide its Rwanda flights.
Rishi Sunak told a Downing Street press conference yesterday morning that the Government had “booked commercial charter planes for specific slots”.
Mr Tomlinson declined to give any further details about the arrangements.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “Planes have been booked, airfields have been booked, but forgive me, I am not going to get into more details.”
Asked again if the Government had a contract with an airline, the minister for countering illegal migration said: “We have planes booked, we have an airfield booked.”
Migrant small boat filmed leaving Calais beach
Broadcasters filmed an inflatable boat full of people wearing orange life jackets leaving the French coast this morning.
Footage broadcast by BBC Breakfast showed a boat in the water just off the beach near Calais.
The BBC suggested the boat had initially been turned back by a French patrol boat, returning to the beach where more people then climbed aboard.
The vessel then returned to sea.
‘It is absolutely chilling to hear that’
Michael Tomlinson, the minister for countering illegal migration, said reports of further deaths in the English Channel were “absolutely chilling”.
Asked about the reports on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, he said: “It is absolutely chilling to hear that. We have had fatalities now in the Channel for nine consecutive months.”
Five migrants ‘found dead’ in Channel
At least five migrants have died after their dinghy capsized in an attempt to cross the English Channel, a local French newspaper reported this morning.
Several small boats got into trouble after trying to cross the Channel, according to local newspaper La Voix du Nord.
The French coast guard told the Reuters news agency police were operating at a beach following the incident this morning off the north French coast, adding there were several “lifeless bodies.”
The reported deaths came just hours after Parliament finally passed into law Rishi Sunak’s Safety of Rwanda Bill, paving the way for the first deportation flights aimed at deterring the crossings.
You can read the full story here.
John Curtice: PM gave ‘heavy clue’ there will not be a summer election
Professor Sir John Curtice said Rishi Sunak had given a “pretty heavy clue” that there will not be a summer general election after the Prime Minister said Rwanda flights will not take off for 10 to 12 weeks.
Asked if he would bet £10 on a July election, the polling expert told Times Radio: “No, not at all.”
Sir John said it is in the Government’s interest “to create uncertainty about the election date because they will want to get their opponents to spend their money now”.
He said: “Given that we are now being told by the Prime Minister that the flights are not going to even start in July, that is a pretty heavy clue that the Prime Minister, at the moment at least, is not thinking that this is going to turn things around sufficiently quickly for him to hold an election in the summer.”
Sunak facing ‘broad strategic problem’ on winning back voters
A polling expert has set out the “broad strategic problem” Rishi Sunak faces as he tries to win support for the Tories ahead of the general election.
Professor Sir John Curtice argued that the Government was seeking credit from voters for reversing things that had happened under its watch.
He told Times Radio: “The Government at the end of the day, with all the things it is trying to do, it faces two challenges.
“One is that things need to happen in its favour, so it needs to reduce the number of people coming across the Channel in much the same way as it needs to reduce the number of people on the NHS waiting lists and it needs to improve the state of the economy.
“But, and this is the crucial point, it has also then got to be able to claim in the voters’ eyes the reward for that, that it should have the credit for that achievement.
“And the broad strategic problem this Government faces… is that it is asking voters please vote for us because towards the end of our term in office we have reversed things that for the most part have happened during our term of office.”
Polling expert: Rwanda success may not win back wavering Tory voters
Professor Sir John Curtice questioned whether the Rwanda plan succeeding would be enough for Rishi Sunak to win back wavering Tory voters.
The polling expert suggested voters were likely to have abandoned the Tories over other issues.
He told Times Radio: “Although voters when they are asked in polls what are the most important issues facing the country, immigration is one of the things that comes up, once you start trying to find out well, why have the Conservative Party lost votes so far, what are the concerns that are associated with being reluctant to vote Conservative again having voted Conservative in 2019, you discover that immigration doesn’t seem to be on that list.
“In other words, people who think that immigration, whether legal or illegal, has gone up don’t seem to be any less loyal to the Conservatives than those who think actually the Government is handling immigration reasonably well.
“The same by the way is not true if you do the equivalent analysis for the economy or for the NHS.”
Rwanda scheme ‘last substantial card’ Sunak can play to reel in Labour, says polling expert
The Rwanda plan is the “last substantial card” Rishi Sunak has left to play in his attempts to gain ground on the Labour Party, a polling expert has suggested.
Professor Sir John Curtice was asked this morning how important a moment the Rwanda Bill becoming law could be electorally for the Tories.
He told Times Radio: “It is certainly going to matter electorally in the sense that whether it succeeds or fails this perhaps is the last substantial card that the Government seems to have up its chest that it hasn’t already played in its continuing but so far unsuccessful attempt to try to narrow Labour’s opinion poll lead which as we speak still stands at 20 points.
“The Government can point to polling evidence that suggests that on balance rather more people seem to favour the idea than are opposed, though I do say ‘on balance’, it is not overwhelming and it does depend a little bit on how you ask the question.”
‘No upper limit’ on Rwanda scheme numbers, says minister
Michael Tomlinson said there is “no upper limit” set on how many migrants the UK could send to Rwanda.
The minister for countering illegal migration told Times Radio: “It is an uncapped scheme.
“There is no limit on the cap, there is no upper limit that has been given.”
Lord Cameron: Rwanda plan will ‘break the business model’ of smuggling gangs
Lord Cameron said the Government’s Rwanda plan will “break the business model” of people smugglers.
The Foreign Secretary tweeted: “We need innovative solutions to address the global migration crisis.
“The Safety of Rwanda Bill delivers a deterrent that will break the business model of the criminal gangs and save lives.
“This country and this government should decide who comes to the UK, not criminal gangs.”
Council of Europe tells UK not to roll out Rwanda scheme
The Council of Europe has warned Rishi Sunak not to put his Rwanda scheme into operation.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, said the UK should “refrain from removing people under the Rwanda policy”.
He said in a statement issued this morning: “The adoption of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill by the UK Parliament raises major issues about the human rights of asylum seekers and the rule of law more generally.
“The United Kingdom government should refrain from removing people under the Rwanda policy and reverse the Bill’s effective infringement of judicial independence.”
Minister refuses to say where Rwanda flights will depart from
Michael Tomlinson refused to say where the Government’s Rwanda flights will depart from, arguing that disclosing such details now would only help critics in their efforts to thwart the scheme.
Rishi Sunak said yesterday during a press conference in Downing Street that an airfield had been put on standby.
Asked for the location during an interview on Sky News, Mr Tomlinson said: “I am not going to go into operational details… there are those who are determined to stop this and if I go into details such as that with you then that will help those who are wanting to stop this. I want this to succeed.”
The minister for countering illegal migration said revealing the location would mean that “those who want to stop it will be emboldened, will be enabled and will try even harder to stop it”.
Rwanda plan legal challenges ‘inevitable’, says minister
Legal challenges against the Rwanda plan are “inevitable” but the Government “will overcome them”, the minister for countering illegal migration said this morning.
Michael Tomlinson told Sky News: “It is inevitable, I’m afraid, that there are going to be challenges. It is inevitable that people are going to try and throw everything at this to try and stop this plan from working.”
He added: “There will be challenges, but we will meet them, we will overcome them and that is why it is going to take 10 to 12 weeks.”
One Nation Conservatives urge PM to deliver Rwanda flights ‘ASAP’
Damian Green, a senior Tory MP and the chairman of the One Nation Conservatives group, said Rwanda flights must take off “as soon as possible”.
Welcoming the passage of the Rwanda Bill through Parliament, Mr Green said: “The PM has taken pragmatic action to deliver on the priorities of British people and stop the boats. While we should not sit idly by as lives are lost due to dangerous Channel crossings, the Conservative Party has - and always will be – the party of law and order.
“This includes doing our utmost to put in place strong deterrents and police our borders effectively.
“With this landmark legislation passing through both Houses, we must ensure that flights get off the ground as soon as possible. This will demonstrate that, unlike Labour, we have a plan to tackle illegal migration and are committed to delivering on our promise to do so.”
Pictured: Lord Cameron visits an irrigation canal on the outskirts of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Minister: ‘Eyes of the world world’ watching to see if Rwanda plan works
The “eyes of the world” are watching to see if the Government’s Rwanda plan succeeds, Michael Tomlinson said.
The minister for countering illegal migration told GB News that other countries were exploring similar proposals.
He said: “Don’t forget that the eyes of the world are watching this scheme. We are not the only country, this is not just the United Kingdom, this is not just France, it is not just a European issue, but it is a global issue as well.
“And you will see that the eyes of the world are watching this scheme. There are other countries who are interested to see how this scheme works because we are looking at a global problem.”
Government wants Rwanda flights to have ‘regular rhythm’
Michael Tomlinson said the Government wanted Rwanda flights to have a “regular rhythm”.
The minister for countering illegal migration told GB News: “We do want to have a regular rhythm, we do want to have regular flights.
“But it is going to take 10 to 12 weeks before we get that first flight off the ground.”
Inevitable Rwanda plan will be subject to fresh legal challenge, suggests minister
The minister for countering illegal migration suggested it was inevitable that the Rwanda plan will be challenged again in the courts.
But Michael Tomlinson said the Rwanda Bill will mean judges “are going to have to listen to what Parliament and the Act of Parliament says”.
Mr Tomlinson described the passage of the Bill as a “momentous occasion” and said it had been a “battle”.
It was suggested to the minister that the Government will now face no end of legal challenges and he told GB News: “You are also right to say that there are now challenges that are inevitably going to come our way.
“But our assessment is that yes it does comply with international law. Our assessment is that we have drafted it in a clear and unambiguous way, such as the courts are going to have to listen to what Parliament and the Act of Parliament says.
“And we are determined to see those planes take off.”
Cooper and Tomlinson on the morning media round
We are expecting to hear from Michael Tomlinson, the minister for countering illegal migration, shortly as he represents the Government on the morning broadcast round.
Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, is out and about talking to the media for Labour.
Human rights groups criticise ‘shameful’ Rwanda Bill
Human rights groups claimed the Government’s newly passed Rwanda deportation plan was a “breach of international law”.
The charity Freedom from Torture, alongside Amnesty International and Liberty, said the Rwanda Bill poses “a significant threat to the rule of law” by undermining what protects people from an abuse of power by the state, and described Parliament as a “crime scene”.
They added the UK was increasingly gaining a reputation for “playing fast and loose with its international obligations” and called for the asylum system to be rebuilt.
A spokesperson for the organisations said: “We all deserve the chance to live a safe life, and to seek protection when we need it most. This shameful Bill trashes the constitution and international law whilst putting torture survivors and other refugees at risk of an unsafe future in Rwanda.
“No matter how many times the Prime Minister says so, we know this is not the will of the people.”
Sunak vows ‘nothing will stand in our way’ on Rwanda flights
Rishi Sunak vowed this morning that “nothing will stand in our way” of getting Rwanda migrant deportation flights off the ground.
The Prime Minister welcomed the passage of his flagship Rwanda Bill through Parliament and said it represented “not just a step forward but a fundamental change in the global equation on migration”.
He said: “We introduced the Rwanda Bill to deter vulnerable migrants from making perilous crossings and break the business model of the criminal gangs who exploit them.
“The passing of this legislation will allow us to do that and make it very clear that if you come here illegally, you will not be able to stay.
“Our focus is to now get flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives.”
How much is the Rwanda plan costing the UK?
Britain has signed up to pay £370 million to Rwanda over five years even if no migrant is deported, according to the National Audit Office.
The UK will also pay £150,874 per migrant sent to the country.
Leaked Home Office documents said the scheme will start in a “tightly controlled” way with as few as 500 migrants deported in the first year before being expanded.
“Initial negotiations” between the two countries suggested “upwards of 30,000” migrants over the course of the scheme set to last five years, according to the documents. This would take the bill to something like £4.5 billion.
Labour urges Tories to ditch ‘eye-wateringly expensive’ Rwanda plan
Labour opposed the Rwanda Bill and Yvette Cooper labelled it an “extortionately expensive gimmick rather than a serious plan to tackle dangerous boat crossings” as she responded to it completing its passage through Parliament.
The shadow home secretary said: “Instead of spending £2 million per asylum seeker on this failing scheme they should be putting that money into boosting our border security instead - that is Labour’s practical plan.”
She added: “The Conservatives should drop this eye-wateringly expensive election stunt and instead adopt Labour’s practical plan boost our border security with new cross-border police and new counter terror style powers to crack down on the criminal gangs, and a new Returns and Enforcement Unit to remove those who have no right to be here.”
Sir Keir Starmer declared in October last year that he would scrap the Rwanda plan even if it succeeded in slashing small boat arrivals.
Cleverly: Passage of Rwanda Bill through Parliament a ‘landmark moment’
James Cleverly hailed the passage of the Rwanda Bill through Parliament as a “landmark moment”.
The Home Secretary said the Bill will now become law “within days” and the Government is “working day in and day out to get flights off the ground”.
He said in a video statement:
“Today is a landmark moment in our plan to stop the boats. The Safety of Rwanda Bill has passed in Parliament and it will become law within days.
“The Act will prevent people from abusing the law by using false human rights claims to block removals. And it makes clear that the UK Parliament is sovereign, giving government the power to reject interim blocking measures imposed by European courts.
“I promised to do what was necessary to clear the path for the first flight. That’s what we have done. Now we’re working day in and day out to get flights off the ground.”
Sunak will call summer election before Rwanda plan ‘disintegrates’, claims Farage
Nigel Farage claimed Rishi Sunak is now likely to call a general election in the summer so voters cast their ballots before the Prime Minister’s flagship Rwanda policy “disintegrates”.
The honorary president of Reform UK predicted the migrant deportation plan will get bogged down in the courts again and the flights ultimately will not happen.
He told GB News: “I would now say it’s two thirds likely that we’re going to have a general election at the end of June or early July, however well or badly the Conservatives may do in the elections coming up next week on May 2.
“The reason I think there’s going to be an early election is because you can’t keep upping the ante on stopping the boats and sending people to Rwanda and keep failing.
“He must know, his advisers must know, that all the while the Human Rights Act is there in law there will be lawyers on behalf of people who are going to be deported, who will go to the courts and British judges will find in their favour and not allow them to go to Rwanda.
“So rather than wait for what is seen to be his flagship policy to disintegrate, he’ll call a general election before it, making promises that he can’t deliver. That’s my thought.”
Good morning
Rishi Sunak’s flagship Rwanda Bill finally cleared Parliament just after midnight as a lengthy showdown between the House of Commons and House of Lords came to an end.
The Prime Minister is hoping the Bill, which will now become law, will pave the way for the first migrant deportation flights to take off, hopefully in July.
But his critics are deeply sceptical that the flights will ever get off the ground, with predictions that the policy will end up in the courts again.
I will do my best to guide you through the reaction to a major moment in Mr Sunak’s premiership which could have a significant impact on the timing and outcome of the next general election.
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