Penny Mordaunt confirms Rwanda vote next week as Rishi Sunak takes on Tory rebels
Mordaunt confirmed the timings for the legislation in a statement to the House of Commons this afternoon
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Penny Mordaunt has confirmed that MPs will vote on any amendments to the Government's Rwanda Bill on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
Rishi Sunak is gearing up for a battle with his MPs over the legislation, as backbenchers on both the left and the right of the party are preparing to table amendments to the bill.
The announcement was made ahead of Mordaunt's usual business statement on Thursday, with the minister saying she wanted to give MPs more time to table amendments.
She explained: "If I had waited to announce this for the first time on Thursday there would have been very limited time for people to table amendments ahead of the normal tabling deadline.
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"We are making this announcement to facilitate the right honourable members in tabling amendments if they wish to do so.
"I do not wish to bring forward legislation which will not be successful. This is a matter of great importance to the general public.
"We do wish it to be successful. And I hope the house will understand why we have given them a heads-up ahead of next week."
The legislation passed its second reading comfortably last year by 313 votes to 269.
But a total of 37 Tory MPs abstained on the second reading, including ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman and former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick.
Many of these MPs are expected to table amendments to the legislation at the Committee stage, taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
Sunak could be facing a major rebellion at the next vote on the bill, if the amendments are not acceptable to both sides of the party.
European Research Group chairman Mark Francois warned the so-called Cash Amendment could look to bolster the Bill.
Speaking before the division in the House of Commons, the Rayleigh & Wickford MP also said: "The Prime Minister has been telling colleagues today he is prepared to entertain tightening the bill, with that aim, at the committee stage, we will aim to table an amendment which would we hope, if accepted, would materially improve the bill and remove some of its weaknesses.
"We very much hope those amendments will be accepted - if they are not and the bill remains unamended, in that way again, collectively, we reserve the right to vote against it at third reading, that is collectively what we have decided."
However, liberal-leaning Tory MPs could look to torpedo any efforts to harden the Bill.
The One Nation Caucus, who voted for the second reading, remain concerned about any future amendments which could mean the Government breaches the rule of law and its international obligations.
The group of around 100 MPs will be advised to oppose such amendments.
The Safety of Rwanda Bill looks to address concerns expressed in last month's Supreme Court ruling by declaring Rwanda is a safe country to send asylum seekers to.
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It also stops flights being grounded for legal reasons by allowing ministers to disapply sections of the Human Rights Act.
The Tory right wants the legislation to go further to stop any obstacles arising.
However, Home Secretary James Cleverly has suggested the legislation already "pushed at the edge of the envelope" on international law.
Rwanda also told Sunak it will withdraw from the treaty if the UK were to breach its "international obligations".
