Tory rebel plan to block European judges' meddling FAILS as Sunak survives major test

A plan hatched by Tory rebels to block European judges from meddling in the UK’s illegal immigration plan has failed as Rishi Sunak survives his another major test on his Safety of Rwanda Bill.

Only 58 Conservative MPs backed the “notwithstanding” amendment put forward by Brexit veteran Sir Bill Cash, with the Democratic Unionist Party also putting pressure on the Prime Minister to toughen up the legislation.

Cash, who was supported by former Prime Minister Liz Truss and European Research Group chair Mark Francois, hoped his amendment would stop the Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights thwarting the scheme.

However, a total of 529 MPs opposed the amendment in a much-needed boost for Sunak.

Former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick, who resigned from Sunak’s Government over the Prime Minister's revised Rwanda policy in December, tabled three separate amendments.

Jenrick's proposal looking to remove the ability for asylum seekers to block their own removal through suspensive claims also failed to receive widespread support.

A total of 58 MPs voted for Jenrick's amendment but 525 MPs opposed the proposal.

The Newark MP has pushed two more amendments which hope to more completely exclude the Human Rights Act from the legislation and prevent so-called “pyjama injunctions” to bolster Rule 39 indications.

Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith, who last night confirmed they would support the amendments, resigned as deputy chairmen of the Tory Party ahead of the Commons division on Cash's amendment amid reports Sunak would have no choice but to sack them.

Jane Stevenson, a parliamentary private secretary in the Department for Business & Trade, may yet still face the sack after also supporting the amendments.

Despite Sunak receiving a boost with both amendments failing, the Prime Minister needs to overcome another Rwanda rebellion when the legislation returns to the House of Commons tomorrow.

Around a dozen Tory MPs intend to vote against the Safety of Rwanda Bill if it is left unamended.

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, ex-Business Secretary Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and co-chairman of the New Conservatives Miriam Cates all indicated they would vote against the Government.

Sunak would suffer a hammer blow if just 29 Tory MPs voted against the Bill or 57 decided to abstain.

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from GB News https://www.gbnews.com/politics/tory-rebel-plan-rwanda-rishi-sunak-major-test

US migrant crisis has grown by STAGGERING 277 per cent since Biden took office

New figures have shown that illegal border crossings in the US have jumped 277 per cent since the start of the Biden administration.

US Border Patrol recorded 2,063,692 encounters with undocumented immigrants in the 2023 fiscal year.

This number is down slightly from the record high reached in 2022.

According to US Customs and Border Patrol data, Border Patrol recorded a total of 5,940,511 encounters, a 277 per cent increase from the same period during Trump's term, from 2017 to 2019.

Republicans have pointed to the rise as a failure of President Joe Biden's domestic policy.

However, pro-Biden diplomats have responded to the claims, saying it is working to restore an orderly and humane immigration system.

Due to changes in reporting methods and fluctuations due to pandemic policies and impacts, it can be difficult to confirm accuracy of these statistics.

However, after the pandemic practically closed the border in 2020, the post-COVID surge in border crossings first seen in 2021 has showed little sign of slowing.

Excluding migrants quickly expelled under pandemic-era rules, the Border Patrol recorded 3,295,029 apprehensions from fiscal years 2021 to 2023, roughly coinciding with Biden's first three years in office.

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Senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute Ariel G. Ruiz Soto said there was a number of factors behind the rise in numbers.

These factors include post-pandemic recessions in origin countries, enforcement challenges in Central America, and a lack of enforcement resources in the US.

He told the Daily Mail: "Unfortunately, the border is clearly not working...The level of migration has surpassed the current levels of capacity at the border...that's not a question."

Soto added that US agencies tasked with enforcing immigration law "do not have the resources needed to be able to manage their operations", saying "that's something that is an executive priority that needs to change, but also a congressional one."

A series of policies that were put into place by Donald Trump were rolled back by the Biden administration.

One of the most controversial of these was known as 'Remain in Mexico' officially titled the Migrant Protection Protocols, which involved asylum-seekers waiting in Mexico while their hearings took place.

Biden called the policy "inhumane" and human rights groups said it put migrants at risk from criminal gangs in Mexico as they pleaded their asylum cases.

About 70,000 people were sent back to Mexico under the policy before it was rolled back in June 2022.

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Sunak says Houthi strikes part of 'single, limited action' amid fears of escalation

Rishi Sunak has said the strikes conducted against Houthi rebels in Yemen were intended as a "single, limited action" amid questions about the UK's long-term strategy.

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20,000 British troops to be deployed with Nato as Grant Shapps warns UK must 'defend our nation'

20,000 British troops will be deployed in Europe alongside Nato forces in an attempt to bolster global security.

In a speech later today, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps is expected to set out plans for the UK to respond to the end of the so-called 'peace dividend' enjoyed by the West since the end of the Cold War.

This comes just days after the Government authorised strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen and unveiled a further £2.5bn UK support package to Ukraine.

The 20,000 troops will be deployed across Europe in the first half of this year as part of Exercise Steadfast Defender 24.

Shapps is expected to warn that the "foundations of the world order" are being "shaken to their core", arguing that Britain "must be prepared" to deter its enemies.

The deployment of 20,000 troops will help to support "one of the largest NATO deployments since the Cold War".

Some 16,000 of them will be troops from the British Army, deployed across eastern Europe from February to June 2024. They will be supported by British taking tanks, artillery, helicopters, and parachutes.

Giving a speech at Lancaster House today, Shapps is expected to say: "We are in a new era and we must be prepared to deter our enemies, prepared to lead our allies and prepared to defend our nation whenever the call comes.

“Today our adversaries are busily rebuilding their barriers. Old enemies are reanimated. Battle lines are being redrawn.

"The tanks are literally on Ukraine’s lawn. And the foundations of the world order are being shaken to their core. We stand at a crossroads.

"I can announce today that UK will be sending some 20,000 personnel to take part in one of NATO’s largest deployments since the end of the Cold War. Exercise Steadfast Defender.

"It will see our military joining forces with counterparts from 30 NATO countries plus Sweden, providing vital reassurance against the Putin menace."

Overnight on Friday, Britain joined the US in unleashing targeted strikes against military facilities in Yemen in response to the "reckless actions" of Houthi rebels in the region.

Action was taken after weeks of disruption to international shipping in the Red Sea.

The rebels had launched a series of attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea, which they claimed to be a show of support for Palestine and terror group Hamas.

Houthi officials have reacted with fury to the UK and US' response, calling the strikes "barbaric".

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The US Air Force said American and British forces struck more than 60 targets in 16 locations.

The MoD said "particular care was taken to minimise any risks to civilians” when planning the strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.

The Cabinet was informed of the plans in a meeting called last night by No10. In an unusual move, the Government also briefed Sir Keir Starmer and shadow defence secretary John Healey.

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Braverman joins pro-Israel protesters at London rally - as world marks 100th day of war

Former home secretary Suella Braverman joined thousands of pro-Israel protesters at a rally in London on Sunday as the world marked 100 days since the country's war with Hamas began.

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Rebel Tories not expecting to secure major changes to Rwanda bill

Tory MPs plotting the Rwanda rebellion are resigned to securing minimal changes to the legislation - despite some belief senior figures are poised to quit party roles over the bill.

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The Week... the Post Office delivers answers

Two of Westminster's best-connected journalists, Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard, guide us through their predictions of how British politics will play out over the next seven days.

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