Rishi Sunak has told Tory rebels he is open to their suggestions to prevent judges from grounding flights to Rwanda.
Some Conservative MPs are concerned the Safety of Rwanda Bill is flawed and will not prevent migrants from successfully appealing deportation orders.
But the Prime Minister has insisted his plan will “do the job” and said he had been “comforted by the reaction of dozens of legal experts” who claim it will pave the way for the first flights to Kigali.
Critics on the right of his party have threatened to amend or even vote down the legislation if it is not tightened before it is next put before MPs.
Speaking as MPs returned to Parliament after the Christmas break, the Prime Minister said: “I’m very open if people have got suggestions that will improve the effectiveness of the Bill, that maintain our compliance with legal obligations and
keep Rwanda participating.”
“Of course I’m open to that. I want this Bill to work as well as it can.”
But he again expressed confidence in his own plan, telling an audience at Accrington Stanley Football Club in Lancashire: “I have worked on it for a very long time”.
The PM has denied reports that during his failed leadership bid against Liz Truss in 2022 he wanted to scrap the scheme but was warned off the idea on the grounds it would upset Conservative MPs.
Mr Sunak said: “That is completely false.”
