Black Country Tories set to back PM in crucial Rwanda vote

After the Supreme Court ruled previous legislation illegal the Government have redrafted the Rwanda bill with the House of Commons vote becoming one of the most important in Mr Sunak's premiership.

Labour are hoping to encourage 29 Conservatives to join them in voting against the bill and killing it off at its first stage.

Tories who could vote against the Government either believe the bill is too lenient and should include plans to leave the European Court of Human Rights and those who believe it is an affront to the UK's reputation.

However, Conservatives in the Black Country and Staffordshire are set to back their leader.

Lichfield MP Michael Fabricant will be voting with the PM.

He said: "As a member of the European Research Group, I personally will be voting FOR the Rwanda Bill at 7pm. It is not perfect (no Bill ever is), but I agree with its principle: to deter the slavers providing dangerous channel crossings. Amendments can then be made later in the usual way.

"The object of the Bill is to deter illegal immigrants coming across. It does not need to be 100% in sending everyone to Rwanda for processing - just most of them."

Those MPs who are part of the Government will be voting with the PM, Stafford MP Theo Clarke is a Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Treasury.and West Bromwich West MP Shaun Bailey is PPS to Tory chairman Richard Holden.

Dudley MP Marco Longhi has backed the Rwanda policy from its inception due to his frustration over the number of immigrants coming into the country illegally. He is a vocal member of the New Conservatives, the group of Tory MPs elected after Brexit.

Complaining about the present number of immigrants arriving in the UK, he said: "It is a shocking state of affairs and completely unacceptable to me and my constituents.

Mr Longhi also backed the resignation of Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick last week who complained current Government policy does not go far enough to solve the problem.

Responding to former Attorney General Geoffrey Cox saying the bill should be voted down as it does not give those sent to Rwanda a right to appeal, Mr Longhi made the distinction between UK residents and those trying to enter the country.

He tweeted: "Nobody is saying 'people' should not have have access to a court, it is disingenuous to suggest as much. All British people would have continued access. But people who are so desperate to leave a safe country and break into the UK illegally, should not be treated the same way."

Wolverhampton North East MP Jane Stevenson is also very vocal in her support for the Rwanda policy and admitted the human rights of those coming over on boats.

She said: "My inbox very clear. And I place the interests of my constituents above the interests of human rights lawyers who seem to relish kicking cases around indefinitely."

Walsall North Tory MP Eddie Hughes has also publicly backed the Rwanda bill as has Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris.

Former businessman Mr Morris MP retweeted the PM's tweet promising to cut immigration and commented: "Whilst migration to the UK has benefits, the numbers have been too high for too long. Important that we deliver on our plan to cut net migration, and ensure it meets the needs of the British people."

Labour MPs on the other hand are joyful the Conservatives are "ripping themselves apart" and will be filing into the opposition lobby in glee.

Wolverhampton South West MP Pat McFadden, who is helping spearhead his party's General Election campaign, pointed to the policy's massive cost to the taxpayer.

He said: "This Government has sent more Home Secretaries to Rwanda than asylum seekers.”