Senior Tory says Suella Braverman wants to act like Putin with hardline alternative Rwanda proposals – UK politics live

Damien Green labels former home secretary’s controversial proposals ‘unconservative’

Good morning. In Politico’s London Playbook briefing this morning, Eleni Courea quotes “a Tory minister allied with [Rishi] Sunak” claiming: “All things considered this week went as well it could have gone — the Rwanda judgement could have been a moment that open warfare broke out in the party, but that didn’t happen.”

Optimism is a good trait to have in life, but this is looking premature, to put it mildly. This morning the effective leader of one faction in the Conservative party is accusing the effective leader of another – quite seriously, it seems – of wanting to act like Putin.

The [new Rwanda bill promised by Sunak] must enable flights before the next general election

Legislation must therefore circumvent the lengthy process of further domestic litigation, to ensure that flights can take off as soon as the new bill becomes law. To do this, the bill must exclude all avenues of legal challenge. The entirety of the Human Rights Act and European Convention on Human Rights, and other relevant international obligations, or legislation, including the Refugee Convention, must be disapplied by way of clear “notwithstanding” clauses.
Judicial Review, all common law challenges, and all injunctive relief, including the suspensive challenges available under the Illegal Migration Act must be expressly excluded. Individuals would, however, be given the chance to demonstrate that they had entered the country legally, were under 18, or were medically unfit to fly – but Home Office decisions on these claims could not be challenged in court.

The second test is the most unconservative statement I have ever heard from a Conservative politician. Giving the state the explicit power to override every legal constraint is what Putin and Xi do. We absolutely cannot go there.

Suella sets out clear and rigorous tests for new legislation on small boats. We should be crystal clear: half measures won’t work. We need the legislation that is brought forward to be truly effective, and if the Lords block it - let’s take it to the country.

Continue reading...

from The Guardian https://ift.tt/phuqsX8