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Watch again: Rishi Sunak holds press conference on Rwanda bill after Robert Jenrick exit

Lucy Leeson
Thursday 07 December 2023 10:55 GMT
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Watch again as Rishi Sunak holds a press conference on Thursday (7 December) as the Prime Minister faces a growing crisis over his emergency Rwanda legislation.

No 10 is said to be increasingly worried by the number of no-confidence letters being submitted by Conservative MPs, and it remains uncertain that Mr Sunak can push through his bill amid a growing Tory revolt on the right.

Mr Sunak is under fresh pressure after his immigration minister quit in protest at the prime minister’s plan to fix the Rwanda deal.

Robert Jenrick, a close ally of Mr Sunak, said a draft law published by Downing Street on Wednesday evening was a “triumph of hope over experience”.

Mr Sunak is reportedly ready to threaten to call an election if right-wing Tory MPs vote against his new Rwanda legislation.

The Prime Minister is considering making the vital showdown on the legislation next week – with a vote expected on Tuesday – a confidence issue, according to reports.

Convention dictates that the PM would either resign or dissolve parliament and call an election if he loses such a vote.

However, No 10 sources have denied that next week’s showdown vote will be treated as a confidence vote in the government.

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