Rwanda and COVID inquiry: Rishi Sunak's toughest week yet

The prime minister appeared before the COVID inquiry today - defending his Eat Out to Help Out scheme and revealing Treasury concerns that the UK would not be able to fund the pandemic response.

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'The Government could COLLAPSE over migration' - Richard Tice's devastating verdict

Richard Tice

Speaking to GB News Community Editor Michael Heaver in Westminster, the Reform Party leader responded to Suella Braverman's resignation statement in the House of Commons this week.

He said: "I was a bit disappointed, to be honest, with Suella's speech because she only dealt with half the issue.

"She only talks about illegal migration. She didn't talk about the absolute scandal with the mass immigration legally coming in because of this Government's deliberate open borders policies. She just ignored that completely."

Addressing the resignation of Robert Jenrick as Immigration Minister, Tice said: "This is extraordinary how he has become a sort of zealot like on this issue of immigration, both lawful and unlawful, almost more so than Suella Braverman.

"I think that the the fact that everything the Prime Minister's now doing is basically what Suella Braverman and Jenrick wanted but the Prime Minister wouldn't commit to in the last 6 to 12 months, they've now both gone, one fired, one resigned."

Tice added: "Now basically the Prime Minister is on the back foot and saying 'well actually we're going to go the toughest route'.

"But the thing about this Rwanda Bill is they've left wriggle room for individual cases to take claims all the way to the ECHR.

"Well, the truth is, every case is an individual case. So all this posturing and grandstanding by Cleverly and by Sunak to suggest that this is the toughest bill, it's completely irrelevant."

And looking ahead, Tice concluded that: "I think the odds of a some form of spring, late spring, early summer election are dramatically increasing and certainly that's what we're preparing for.

"I've said to my team get ready, this could, this could happen at any moment. The Government could collapse over this."

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‘We’re DESTROYING our country’ with migrant influx fumes Caitlyn Jenner

Caitlyn Jenner has bemoaned the US being “destroyed” as masses of migrants descend on the country.

Speaking on GB News, the media personality spoke to John Cleese about “millions” entering the country illegally, an issue which she claims will plague the US for decades to come.

US President Joe Biden is under fire over the extent of illegal immigration in the States, with House Speaker Mike Johnson threatening to hold back funding for Ukraine should the issue not be properly addressed.

“I would say that by the time it’s over with and we get a different president, there’ll be at least 15 million people in our country illegally”, she said.

“Venezuela are emptying out their jails, putting them on buses, taking them to the border, sending them across the United States.

“There’s terrorists coming in. We’re going to be dealing with this in the United States for the next 50 years.”

John Cleese challenged Jenner by putting across the point that a lot of economists are “in favour” of immigration, to which Jenner said back: “Not too many.”

She added: “We’re destroying our country with this. This is not from an economy standpoint, this is not good.

“They’re all on welfare, we’re taxpayers, we’re paying for them, we’re paying for their school, we’re paying for their health care, we’re paying for their kids.

“The list goes on and on. It’s a tremendous burden on our country and our taxpayer.”

So-called “sanctuary cities” have popped up across America as illegal immigrations are labelled “undocumented migrants”.

Denver is one, and the city has demanded further funding from the federal government as a result.

A city spokesman has spoke out on the area receiving more than 30,000 immigrants in one year, suggesting it is an “emergency”.

Denver-based reporter Jimmy Sengenberger hit out at “busloads” of migrants arriving, saying those arriving have been sold a “bill of goods”.

“It is overburdening cities across the country”, he said.

“It includes those like Denver, where we have a status for the City of Denver in what’s called a ‘sanctuary city’ where reporting immigrants, illegal immigrants to federal authorities, Immigration and Customs Enforcement isn’t a standard practice.

“In fact, it’s explicitly discouraged.”

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Rishi Sunak faces secret cabal of 'pasta plotters' who conspired to get new PM at Italian restaurant

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt from a group of Conservative MPs who have reportedly been meeting in private at an Italian restaurant with the intention of ousting the PM and replacing him with a new candidate before the next general election.

The group, consisting of MPs and political theorists, have reportedly been plotting their next moves against the Government at Giovanni's in Covent Garden.

According to MailOnline, the conspirators were busy turning a torrent of headlines damaging to the Prime Minister, previously described as a "grid of s***", into "an advent calendar of s***".

The intention was to target Rishi Sunak and to install a new leader ahead of a General Election.

WATCH NOW: Dame Andrea Jenkyns speaks to GB News about Robert Jenrick

MPs are set to vote on Tuesday on Sunak's plans to use emergency legislation to rescue his scheme to send Channel migrants to Rwanda.

It is believed that Conservative whips are spending this weekend frantically trying to quell a wider revolt.

Supporters of Sunak are scathing about Robert Jenrick's resignation as Immigration Minister, with one Home Office source telling Mail Online: "He thinks he is the new darling of the Right, but it's a Damascene conversion given that prior to joining the Home Office he thought the whole premise of the Rwanda scheme was wrong."

A Conservative source says Braverman and Jenrick "fought like rats in a sack in the Home Office, constantly wrangling for the limelight and blaming each other when something went wrong".

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One of the plotters is open about wanting to 'crash' Mr Sunak's administration in order to install a new leader before the Election.

However, they admit to having no idea how it will happen or who should take over.

They said: "Our polling is down to 20 per cent, which is wipeout territory. Even a five per cent bounce from a new leader would save a decent number of seats. [Sunak] can't win on the legislation, because every wing of the party is p***** off for one reason or another."

The Prime Minister is facing opposition from both the One Nation Tory moderates led by former Deputy Prime Minister Damian Green and Tory right on the other side.

The One Nation Tories object to using legislation to override the Human Rights Act and overrule the Supreme Court's verdict that Rwanda is not a safe place to send asylum-seekers.

In an attempt to defuse the situation, MPs will only vote on Tuesday on the principle of whether to tighten the law and they will not have the chance to debate and vote on potentially divisive amendments until the New Year.

MPs allied with Braverman are bitterly critical of the Prime Minister, with one claiming that he was "threatened by strong women like Suella".

Another dubbed him "Rishi Gervais" in honour of comedian Ricky Gervais, who created the character of David Brent.

They say that like David Brent in the BBC's The Office, the Prime Minister "goes around saying 'I've got things to say if people will listen, but they won't'."

Whips are begging Conservative MPs to listen to Sunak's call to "unite" behind him "or die" amid speculation over a spring election.

However, one senior Tory MP claimed it was a deception operation to panic Labour into depleting its war chest, then calling an election in November instead.

If Sunak survives, most Tory strategists expect him to wait until November, although there is some concern over the impact of the number of households coming off cheap mortgage deals next year.

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Government 'not contemplating' early election over Rwanda plan, says Gove

The government is "not contemplating" an early general election because ministers are "confident" the Rwanda bill will be approved by MPs, Michael Gove has told Sky News.

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Voters have changed their opinions about Brexit, but does it still matter to them? | Adam Boulton

Does Brexit matter anymore?  

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Sunak urges Starmer to 'rise above political games' on Rwanda - but Tories accused of 'fighting like rats in a sack'

Rishi Sunak has attacked Labour's illegal migration policy as Sir Keir Starmer accused the Conservatives of "fighting like rats in a sack" over the Rwanda bill.

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Rishi Sunak issued stark warning over 'embarrassing' defeat as MPs gear up to tear into new migration bill

Rishi Sunak has been issued a stark warning over taking an "embarrassing defeat", as MPs weigh up how to vote on his new Rwanda Bill.

Lawyers examining the Government's new legislation on behalf of right-wing MPs are gearing up to criticise the plans, GB News understands.

The European Research Group, along with the Common Sense Group and the New Conservatives, have convened a so-called 'Star Chamber' of lawyers to examine the legislation.

Their findings will be published before the legislation is voted on by MPs on Thursday, ERG Chairman Mark Francois has said.

WATCH: James Cleverly outlines the Government's new migration plan

MPs on the left of the party, many of them linked to the One Nation caucus of MPs, have also instructed lawyers to look at the legislation.

A source on the right of the party told GB News that Sunak "is in danger of either enacting a piece of legislation which doesnt deliver, or getting into a position where both sets of lawyers oppose the Bill" .

MPs will vote on the legislation next Tuesday.

The Government has denied that next week's vote is a confidence vote, but one Conservative MP warned that a loss in the vote would be "very embarrasing" for Sunak.

But there is a high chance that MPs will vote with the Government on the legislation at this stage of voting, but the PM may be faced with defeat at the later stages of scrutiny.

Conservative MP Philip Davies told GB News that the vote is a "a vote of confidence in the common sense of Conservative backbenchers".

Urging MPs to back the Government, he said: "Every Conservative MP must accept that what is being proposed in this Bill is better than the status quo and so therefore must vote in favour of it.

"And if anyone wants what is proposed toughened up - even though it is difficult to see how - then that can only happen if they vote for the second reading of the Bill next week.

"So I cannot think of any reason at all why any Conservative MP would not support the government in the vote on this Bill next week".

In a statement about the lawyers' analysis of the legsilation, ERG Chairman Mark Francois said: "We all agree with the Prime Minister that we need to stop the boats but the legislation to do this must be assuredly fit for purpose.

"To that end I spoke with Sir Bill Cash, who confirmed his Star Chamber team are already analysing the Rwanda Bill, in detail.

"This may still take a few days to complete but he was confident their findings will be available, at the very latest, prior to the Second Reading debate on Tuesday".

Not a single migrant has yet been sent to Rwanda since the beleaguered scheme was launched.

The Government unveiled new legislation to address the concerns of the Supreme Court after it ruled the scheme illegal in November.

But a source close to former Home Secretary Suella Braverman warned that the legislation will allow "every single illegal migrant to make individual human rights claims", saying it is a "further betrayal of Tory voters".

The source said: "This bill doesn’t come close to meeting Suella’s tests.

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"The PM has kept the ability for every single illegal migrant to make individual human rights claims against their removal and to then appeal those claims if they don’t succeed. It is fatally flawed.

"It will be bogged down in the courts for months…. It won’t stop the boats.

"It is a further betrayal of Tory voters and the decent patriotic majority who want to see this insanity brought to an end."

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Furious demands to DEFUND the BBC grow as MPs hit back at licence fee hike

Furious Tory MPs have called for the BBC to be defunded in light of the licence fee being hiked earlier this week.

The BBC licence fee will rise from £159 to £169.50 next year, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer confirmed.

The free had been frozen at £159 and was expected to rise in line with inflation next year, at 9 per cent. This would have meant an increase of about £15 from April 2024.

But the Government instead determined the figure using September's rate of inflation, rather than an average across the last year.

WATCH: Ben Habib calls for the BBC licence fee to be 'cancelled'

Reacting to the announcement, former minister Dame Andrea Jenkyns said: "Licence fee rise! Instead, we should defund the BBC!"

Meanwhile, Red Wall MP Jonathan Gullis said: "We need to scrap the telly tax."

Independent MP Scott Benton added: "They really don’t get it do they? Sticking the licence fee up by over a tenner when many families are still struggling is a slap in the face to them…and all to pay the wages of ‘talent’ like Gary Lineker. Time for the licence fee to go!"

Addressing the Commons on Thursday, Frazer said the Government will launch a review of the BBC’s funding model.

She explained: “The review will look at how we can ensure the funding model is fair to the public, sustainable for the long term and supports the BBC’s vital role in growing our creative industries.”

Frazer said the review will be led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and supported by an expert panel, adding: “It will assess a range of options for funding the BBC. We are clear that we want the BBC to succeed.

“The review will include looking at how the BBC can increase its commercial revenues to reduce the burden on licence fee-payers.

"Given pressure on household incomes, I can explicitly rule out that this review will look at creating any new taxes.

“The findings of the review will support the Government to make an informed choice on whether to consult the public on moving to alternative funding models.
"This would take place as part of the charter review process, where any final decision on reforming the BBC’s funding model would be taken.”

The Culture Secretary continued: "With an increasingly competitive media landscape, we need to make sure that the cost of the BBC does not rise exponentially nor that it is borne by a smaller number of fee payers.

“We’re already seeing an increasing number of households choosing not to hold a TV licence. The number of households holding TV licences fell by 400,000 last year and has declined by about 1.7 million since 2017-18. This is placing increasing pressure on the BBC’s licence fee income.

“We are also seeing a rapidly changing media landscape, with more ways for audiences to watch content. Reach and viewing of broadcast TV fell significantly in 2022 with reach falling from 83% in 2021 to 79% in 2022.

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“As this trend continues, linking the TV licence to watching live TV will be increasingly anachronistic as audience viewing habits continue to move to digital and on-demand media.

“We know that if we want the BBC to succeed we cannot freeze its income but at the same time we cannot ask households to pay more for the BBC indefinitely.”

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Cleverly's popularity has plunged - but what do voters in his constituency think?

Since taking over the Home Office brief, James Cleverly's popularity has plummeted among the party membership. 

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Justin Welby wades into migrant row AGAIN as he blasts Rishi Sunak's plans

The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned that new visa rules for migrants could negatively impact family relationships.

Justin Welby conceded that the Government should be “rightly concerned” about legal migration, however he cautioned that there would be a “cost to be paid” as a result.

He warned that tougher entrance requirements would mean many families would be unable to live together.

Under new plans which were unveiled earlier this week, Brits who want to bring a foreign family member to live in the UK, must earn at least £38,700.

WATCH NOW: Rishi Sunak unveils his immigration plans

The Government said that the new figure, which was previously at £18,600, “reinforces that all those who want to work and live here must be able to support themselves”.

Overseas health and care workers will also be prevented from bringing their dependants to the UK.

The top Anglican cleric stressed the importance of families to society, stating that the Government “must not set a series of hurdles for them to jump over”.

Net migration hit a record 745,000 in 2022, although it is estimated to have fallen to 672,000 in the year to June 2023.

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Welby informed the House of Lords on how the Government can promote the “flourishing” of families in light of the new legislation.

He said: “The first is ensuring that whenever a policy is created, in any Government department, its impact on families and households is considered and acted upon.

“Does it enable the bonds of love within the family and the household to flourish? Does it support and strengthen relationships?

“This week we hear that many people in this country will be prevented from living together with their spouse, child or children … as a result of a big increase in the minimum income requirement for family visas.

“The Government is rightly concerned with bringing down the legal migration figures and I’m not, you’ll be relieved to know, going into the politics of that.

“But there is a cost to be paid in terms of the negative impact this will have on married and family relationships for those who live and work and contribute to our life together, particularly in social care.”

His comments came during the annual debate he leads in the House of Lords, with this year's topic being Love Matters, The Report Of The Archbishops' Commission On Families and Households.

The migrant visa plans have received criticism from both Labour and Conservative MPs.

Former Tory minister Gavin Barwell said: “It is both morally wrong and unconservative to say that only the wealthiest can fall in love, marry someone and then bring them to the UK.”

Tory MP Alicia Kearns said: “It risks being very unconservative," she said, adding that the Conservatives were "the party of family".

A spokesman for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “It looks like it would punish those who fall in love with someone from another country if they don't earn almost £40,000 a year.”

No 10 later clarified that the £38,700 was for a “household as a whole”.

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Blinken and Cameron ‘in lockstep’ after warning US could give Putin and Xi ‘Christmas present’

Anthony Blinken and David Cameron have appeared “in lockstep” as they warned that blocking a package of support for Ukraine would be akin to serving a “Christmas present” for Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

At a press conference alongside US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Cameron said: “There is no more important relationship for Britain than this partnership with the United States.”

Lord Cameron said Europe and the US were “rightly” sharing the financial burden of supporting Ukraine.

Blinken earlier said: “Our countries are in lockstep when it comes to continuing to do everything possible to ensure that Putin’s aggression remains a strategic defeat and failure for Russia.”

WATCH HERE: Blinken and Cameron speak in US

The pair warned that “if we don’t stop Putin in Ukraine he will be back for more”.

“Next time it could well be a Nato ally, in which case it would no longer be British or American funds, it would be British and American lives.”

Cameron continued by thanking Blinken for the aid already sent before adding: “I’d also argue that for something like a 10 per cent uplift in your defence budget and our defence budget, we have actually, with the strength of the Ukrainians, destroyed about half of Russia’s pre-war defence strength without the loss of a single British of American life.”

The warning comes after Senate Republicans opposed a multi-billion-dollar aid bill that would have provided wartime funding to Ukraine and Israel.

Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron urged allies to rally around Kyiv, describing the response to the conflict as “the great test for our generation” as he delivered a speech at the Aspen security conference in Washington DC on Thursday.

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US Congress failed to pass a $110billion (£88billion) package of wartime funding for Ukraine and Israel as well as other national security priorities in protest against Biden over the migrant crisis on the southern border.

The White House has sounded the alarm about what might happen if further funding is not approved soon, suggesting Ukraine’s military would be stalled or overrun.

Lord Cameron used his two-day visit to the US to describe the response to Russia’s invasion as “the great test for our generation”, citing the 2008 conflict in Georgia as he warned that if Putin wins “it won’t be the end of this”.

The Foreign Secretary, who was Prime Minister during Russia’s takeover of Crimea in 2014, warned “American lives” could be at risk if the Russian president targeted a Nato ally next.

Speaking at the conference, Lord Cameron said: “I see it as the great test for our generation, the great challenge for our generation. Are we going to defend this democracy?”

He added: “We should pass this money to the Ukrainians, we should back them and make sure that it’s Putin that loses, because if that money doesn’t get voted through, there are only two people who will be smiling.

“One of them is Vladimir Putin in Russia. The other one is Xi Jinping in Beijing. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to give either of those people a Christmas present.”

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UK and US sanction Russian hackers who 'meddled in British politics'

The UK and US governments have imposed sanctions on two Russian hackers after the private conversations of high-profile politicians and civil servants were compromised.

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Tories urged to delete social media post featuring swearing newsreader

Conservative MPs have called on the party to delete one of its tweets featuring a TV newsreader swearing at a camera.

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Robert Jenrick resigns as immigration minister over government's Rwanda plan

Robert Jenrick has resigned from his post as immigration minister over the government's Rwanda plan.

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'There's no mistake here - more of a sacrifice': COVID bereaved queue up to see ex-PM at inquiry

Charlie Williams lost his dad Rex to COVID early in the pandemic. 

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Judge throws out bid to keep Nicola Sturgeon inquiry evidence private

Evidence gathered in an investigation into whether Nicola Sturgeon breached the ministerial code should not be kept private, judges have ruled.

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UK-Rwanda deal becomes a reality - but questions remain over asylum-seekers' safety

Rwanda has received three home secretaries from the UK but not a single asylum-seeker. 

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