Suella Braverman has warned that as many as half her Tory MP colleagues face losing their jobs at the General Election unless Rishi Sunak urgently fixes his make-or-break Rwanda Bill next week.
In her first TV interview since being sacked as Home Secretary, Ms Braverman told GB News that Mr Sunak’s Bill is not going to work as it is.
She also claimed she has spoken to “dozens” of ministers who also have “grave reservations” about the Bill, and who privately say: “We know this Bill won’t work”.
She added there is a “very widespread level of concern privately amongst ministers” that Mr Sunak’s current plan will see a repeat of plans grounded on the tarmac as individual appeals and European Court rulings are still able to frustrate deportation plans.
Ms Braverman said that while the current Bill – the Tories’ third attempt to get flights off to Rwanda – has “some welcome elements”, it is also “fundamentally, fatal flawed”.
She blasted the legislation as amounting to “a betrayal to the British public”.
The Former Home Secretary also committed to voting against the Bill next week if the PM rejects Tory rebels’ amendments, after many rebels merely abstained in December.
Ms Braverman warned she would only support a Bill that works. She continued: “And if there are no improvements to it, I will have to vote against it I’m afraid.
“I’m sent to Parliament, to vote for things to be for things or to be against them not to sit on the fence, and I owe it to my constituents.
“I owe it to the British people to be transparent and honest about the situation that we’re in. It’s absolutely essential that we deliver on this pledge to stop the boats.”
Asked whether her objections are in fact about her desire for the Tory leadership, Ms Braverman said there is no leadership election and she’s not running for leader.
She added: “But there is a General Election and I want us to win that General Election.”
She bluntly set out that, on current polling, “about half of my colleagues are set to lose their seats”.
Ms Braverman warned that the only way for them to keep their seats at the General Election is to “pass a Bill that works”.
The rebellious former minister said she also believes it’s right to begin having a debate about the way UK membership of the European Court of Human Rights is preventing the Government from delivering on its pledge to control the UK’s borders.
Echoing the rallying cry of the Brexit referendum campaign, she said her opposition to the court’s meddling is “about taking back control”, adding “there are real parallels with Brexit”.
Asked whether her rebellion is about working to bring down her own Government, she denied she is trying to defenestrate Mr Sunak.
She concluded: “This is not about bringing down the Government. This is about delivering a bill that works and stopping the boats.
“I’m here because I believe vividly in things. I’m here because I believe passionately in delivering for the British people. They are fed up with the boats, they are fed up with broken promises.
“This is our last chance to get it right. And woe betide a Government that fails the British people again.”
