The One Nation group of centrist Tory MPs have recommended its members vote for the government’s Rwanda bill tomorrow.
It comes after MPs on the right of the party earlier today suggested they may not support the legislation.
The faction of about 100 One Nation MPs met this evening to discuss their concerns that the legislation goes too far by disapplying the Human Rights Act.
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The caucus said it remains concerned about any future amendments that would mean the government breaching the rule of law and its international obligations, and would oppose such amendments in the House of Commons.
But for now, it has indicated it won’t stage a major rebellion when the law goes to a vote in parliament tomorrow.
Damian Green MP, Chair of the One Nation group said: “We have taken the decision that the most important thing at this stage is to support the bill despite our real concerns.
“We strongly urge the government to stand firm against any attempt to amend the bill in a way that would make it unacceptable to those who believe that support for the rule of law is a basic Conservative principle.”
It takes 29 MPs to vote against, or 57 MPs to abstain, for Mr Sunak’s flagship legislation to be rejected – with no clarity on whether he could survive such a defeat in practice.
While the statement from the One Nation group will be a relief – it does not mean the fight to get the bill passed is over.
Earlier today, the Brexiteer European Research Group (ERG) said the legislation had “so many holes in it” that the consensus from this wing of the party was to “pull the bill” and put forward a “revised version that works better”.
They have yet to say how they will vote on it during the second reading tomorrow and are meeting tonight to discuss the matter.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak revealed the new law last week in an attempt to revive the scheme that would see asylum seekers arriving by small boat crossings deported to the African nation, after the Supreme Court ruled in November that it was unlawful.
The bill declares the African nation as safe and allows ministers to disapply the Human Rights Act to limit appeals against people being removed from the UK.
It does not go as far as overriding the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which those on the right of the party had called for.
Mr Sunak will hope to quell unrest when he holds a breakfast meeting with members of the New Conservative group – among those on the right aligned with the criticism of the ERG – in Downing Street ahead of Cabinet on Tuesday.
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