Suella Braverman has “schooled” Labour MP Stella Creasy in a Commons clash over Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda Bill. The Prime Minister saw the Safety of Rwanda Bill pass its third reading in the House of Commons by a majority of 44 on Wednesday (January 17).
Ahead of the vote, Mrs Braverman reminded the House of the Tories’ 2019 manifesto pledge to stop the boats, saying: “We made a promise.”
The former Home Secretary then gave way to Ms Creasy, who said: “I know she feels this passionately, I just wonder if she could clarify – because she’s got a concern there about a foreign court – what does she think NATO is?”
Members of Parliament could be heard laughing before Mrs Braverman told the MP for Walthamstow: “NATO is not a court. I’m slightly embarrassed that I have to make that clear to the Honourable Lady, that’s really elementary politics.”
Ms Creasy could be seen nodding her head vigorously with her hands outstretched as Mrs Braverman continued, claiming: “We are being governed by a foreign court and judges who do not have our interests at heart.”
Sharing a clip of the clash, political commentator Lee Harris wrote on X: “This is brilliant. @SuellaBraverman schools Stella Creasy during the debate on the #RwandaBill. Stella Creasy has a habit of embarrassing herself.”
Established in 1949 with the signing of the Washington Treaty, NATO is a military alliance made up of 30 countries, including the UK, US and Germany.
In response to Ms Creasy’s gaffe, Spectator writer and barrister Steven Barrett commented on X: “NATO is not a Court with control of our legal system.”
He added: “Merely because International clubs exist, does not mean you have to join them. Our country can choose which international clubs are best for it.”
Mrs Braverman, who was sacked as Home Secretary by the Prime Minister after remarks she made about the police and pro-Palestine protests, voted against Mr Sunak’s Bill.
She argued the Safety of Rwanda Bill would be open to legal challenges as she explained her reason for voting against it at third reading.
The former Cabinet minister tweeted: “The Rwanda bill will not stop the boats. It leaves us exposed to litigation and the Strasbourg Court.
“I engaged with the Government to fix it but no changes were made. I could not vote for yet another law destined to fail. The British people deserve honesty and so I voted against.”
The Bill passed its third reading in the Commons unamended with a majority of 44 after only 11 Tories voted against the immigration legislation. It will now move to the House of Lords where it is expected to face serious opposition.
