LBC: Laura Farris confirms Robert Jenrick has resigned
Conservative MPs have twisted the knife into Rishi Sunak after the shock resignation of immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who concluded that he could not support the Government's revised Rwanda legislation.
Mr Jenrick, who was one of the chief proponents of the Government's plan to ship illegal migrants to east Africa, has followed Suella Braverman out of the Home Office claiming Rishi Sunak's new legislation "does not go far enough".
In his resignation letter, he said: "A Bill of the kind you are proposing is a triumph of hope over experience.
"The stakes for the country are too high for us not to pursue the stronger protections required to end the merry-go-round of legal challenges which risk paralysing the scheme and negating its intended deterrent."
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Mr Jenrick's departure has sparked a strong response from senior Conservatives.
Mark Francois, chairman of the European Research Group, told the House of Commons that his resignation was "deeply worrying" and accused ministers of "pointedly" ducking questions about the Rwanda legislation.
Andrea Jenkyns MP, who is deputy chair of the Brexit-backing European Research Group, took to X to back the former immigration minister's hardline stance: "Well done to @RobertJenrick for resigning. As his former PPS when he was Secretary of State I saw his strength and how he stood up to civil servants, I know what a decent man he is and how he adores his family. This may be the death knell for Sunaks leadership."
Former Home Office minister Lord Greenhalgh said Mr Jenrick's departure was "principled".
"Anyone who believes that the proposed ？immigration bill is too weak + won't work should resign," he added, praising Ms Braverman for a "forensic" denunciation of the bill earlier today.
Well done to @RobertJenrick for resigning. As his former PPS when he was Secretary of State I saw his strength and how he stood up to civil servants, I know what a decent man he is and how he adores his family.
This may be the death knell for Sunaks leadership.
— Andrea Jenkyns MP ？？？？？？？？？？？？ (@andreajenkyns) December 6, 2023
Former Tory deputy chair and polling guru Lord Ashcroft backed Mr Jenrick, posting on X: "He was quite right to resign. You simply cannot tell voters that you will do everything you can to stop the boats and then unnecessarily fall short…？"
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Others on the Right rallied behind Mr Jenrick.
Ben Habib, deputy leader of Reform UK, said: "Well I have to say I’m impressed. A Tory minister with conviction. Resigned on a point of principle. This is rare!!"
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said Mr Jenrick's depature was "disappointing" and accused him of basing his departure on a "fundamental misunderstanding of the situation".
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