Sacked home secretary Suella Braverman has hit out at Rishi Sunak‘s Rwanda plans in a speech to the House of Commons as a Tory revolt over the controversial policy grows.
Ms Braverman warned that young men were “pouring” into the UK and were economic migrants, not refugees.
In a swipe at the prime minister, she also attacked his claims his policy is working, saying: “’Crossings are down’ is not the same as stopping the boats.”
In a challenge to her party leader she told MPs it came down to a question of “who governs Britain?” – the government or the courts.
The prime minister has been warned of rebellion by Tory MPs on both sides over his party, as well as possible resignations, over plans to get around human rights law.
Ms Braverman branded the prime minister a failure and accused him of betraying a secret deal on small boats in an incendiary letter, after she was ousted in a reshuffle last month.
In an excoriating criticism, she also accused him of “magical thinking” over his approach to stopping migrants crossing the English Channely, of which Rwanda is a major plank.
In what was seen as a future leadership pitch, she also said she would support “authentic Conservative” government policies.
Her speech comes as the government prepares to publish emergency legislation designed to save the prime minister Rwanda plan, after it was branded unlawful by the Supreme Court.
Mr Sunak is thought to have ruled out a radical move to opt out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – despite a rebellion by the Tory right, including Ms Braverman’s allies.
He also faced a revolt from a powerful group of Tory moderates that they could not support the legislation if he did try to flout the ECHR – arguing it was a “red line”.
But one senior MP told the Independent there would be “no purpose” in the bill if it failed to address the use of human rights law to block the policy.
Ms Braverman is making a personal statement to the Commons following her bitter exit last month.
A similar speech by Geoffrey Howe in 1990 following his resignation in the House of Commons in 1990. Lord Howe’s resignation is often credited with ending Margaret Thatcher’s political career.
Mr Sunak was not expected to watch the speech, as it clashed with a phone call between leaders of the G7 nations on a number of issues including Ukraine and the war in Gaza.
MPs were asked to leave the chamber if they felt they could not abide by convention that Ms Braverman’s speech was heard in silence and without interruption.
