Robert Jenrick has resigned from his post as immigration minister over the government’s Rwanda plan.
Home secretary James Cleverly confirmed his colleague’s departure following concerted questioning in the House of Commons this evening.
Speculation mounted after Jenrick was missing from the frontbench as Cleverly gave a statement on the government’s bid to rescue the Rwanda deal, which had been thwarted by the supreme court.
In his statement, Cleverly said: “Today I can inform the House that [the Supreme Court’s] concerns have been conclusively answered and those changes made as a result of intensive diplomacy by the prime minister, by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, by the Attorney General’s Office, and of course by the Home Office for the purpose of the Bill”.
Later, when asked by Labour MP Ashely Dalton if he had resigned, the home secretary responded: “That has been confirmed.”
No sign of Robert Jenrick on the frontbench as James Cleverly makes his statement on the new Rwanda legislation pic.twitter.com/3vY1UAwAMo
— Josh Self (@Josh_Self_) December 6, 2023
It came after Home Office minister Laura Farris, appearing on LBC Radio, was asked if the immigration minister had resigned.
She replied: “I understand that he has.”
In a tweet, Conservative MP Andrea Jenkyns reacted: ” Well done to Robert Jenrick for resigning.
“As his former [parliamentary private secretary] when he was secretary of state I saw his strength and how he stood up to civil servants, I know what a decent man he is and how he adores his family.
“This may be the death knell for Sunak’s leadership.”
The Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson, Alistair Carmichael MP has also responded to the news in a statement: “This is yet more Conservative chaos as another minister flees this sinking ship of a Government.
“Rishi Sunak is no longer in control of his party and has lost the support of the country.
“The prime minister knows that his Rwanda plan is totally unworkable, immoral and a complete waste of taxpayers’ money.
“It is time the government scrapped it and focused on fixing the broken asylum system instead of fighting amongst themselves.”
Is Robert Jenrick the new Suella Braverman?
