Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman claims Tories face 'electoral oblivion' unless Rwanda flights go ahead

By Asher McShane

@ashermcs

Suella Braverman has warned the Conservatives face "electoral oblivion in a matter of months" if they introduce emergency Rwanda legislation which is "destined to fail".

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The former home secretary delivered the warning in a personal statement to the Commons focused on what she called "mass, uncontrolled, illegal immigration" involving thousands of "mostly young men, many with values and social mores at odds with our own".

Mrs Braverman, who was sacked from her Cabinet job last month, questioned if the Government understands the "unsustainable pressure" placed on public finances and services, and the impact on community cohesion and national security.

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She said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak should be "commended for dedicating more time and toil than any of his predecessors to this endeavour" before outlining her expectations for emergency legislation to revive the Rwanda deportation scheme.

The legislation attempts to enable Parliament to deem Rwanda a safe destination and address the concerns that saw the Supreme Court rule Mr Sunak's flagship asylum policy unlawful.

Mrs Braverman said: "On Monday, the Prime Minister announced measures that start to better reflect public frustration on legal migration. He can now follow that up with a Bill that reflects public fury on illegal migration and actually stops the boats.

"It is now or never. The Conservative Party faces electoral oblivion in a matter of months if we introduce yet another Bill destined to fail. Do we fight for sovereignty or do we let our party die?

"I may not have always found the right words in the past, but I refuse to sit by and allow us to fail. The trust that millions of people placed in us cannot be discarded as an inconvenient detail.

"If we summon the political courage to do what is truly necessary, difficult though it may be, to fight for the British people we will regain their trust. And, if the Prime Minister leads that fight, he has my total support."