UK’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, customarily has a supportive cohort with him whenever he summonses the press to Downing Street for public declarations, much like he did on Monday when discussing his intentions to curb the influx of unlawful immigrants via threats of expulsion to Rwanda.
On Monday, Sunak revealed that the implementation of the long-awaited policy has been once again deferred, potentially for up to three months, due to the House of Lords preparing to extensively negotiate the proposal. Consequently, the earliest deportations to Rwanda will not take place until July, after which regular conveyance trips are anticipated throughout the summer.
The composition of this supportive ensemble changes, but their function remains the same. It comprises of a number of cabinet officials who occupy the front seats at the Downing Street media centre five minutes prior to Sunak’s arrival. Their sole responsibility is to register agreement with whatever Sunak states without uttering a word themselves; their presence is their contribution.
With Monday’s discussion revolving around Sunak’s endeavour to navigate his landmark Rwanda initiative through the House of Lords, the supporting team was selectively chosen to match the occasion. This included Home Secretary James Cleverly, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Attorney General Victoria Prentis, Minister of State for Tackling Unlawful Migration Michael Tomlinson, and the newly appointed Deputy Foreign Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, who has acquired the satirical nickname of “sofa sale” within the Westminster community.
Moments ahead of Sunak’s announcement of the latest postponement to the Rwanda scheme, which he attributed to objections from Labour members, Cleverly was overheard sharing his newest health regimen—the Home Secretary has committed to performing 100 push-ups daily throughout the month of April to support cancer research fundraising efforts.
Cleverly, who also serves as a lieutenant colonel in the British army reserve, commented, “It’s never the muscles you’d expect that end up hurting… I’m feeling it all down the back of my arms today and right across my pecs.”
Despite his exercise regime, it is Cleverly’s department that shoulders the brunt of the work for Sunak’s primary immigration policy.
The complexity of its undertaking was made evident when Sunak, stationed in Downing Street on Monday morning, promised voters his strategy was effective even as the Home Office discreetly released data indicating a 24 per cent increase in small boat arrivals for this year.
Approximately 6,265 unauthorised immigrants had set foot on the beaches of southern England by April 21st. A fifth of these arrivals were Vietnamese, while another fifth were Afghan. In the media room at Number 9, adorned with wood-panels, Sunak confirmed an unprecedented influx of Vietnamese migrants, suggesting a tenfold increase.
The prime minister pointed out that the syndicates facilitating the illegal migration from France to the UK had been altering their target demographic; they were now focusing on the Vietnamese. Once a significant fraction of small boat arrivals, Albanian numbers had decreased by 90 per cent following a reciprocal agreement struck by Sunak’s government with Albania. He expressed optimism in being able to effect a similar change in the Vietnamese situation.
However, he emphasised the need for a ‘systematic deterrent’, hence introducing the Rwanda scheme.
Sunak, confronting Downing Street’s cameras, visibly embodied frustration and exasperation. His message was clear – he’d had enough. He beseeched the House of Lords to relinquish their constant opposition to his plan and halt the legislative back-and-forth, a tactic which has stalled the Rwanda bill’s progression to the House of Commons for weeks.
“The House will remain in session for as long as necessary [on Monday],” declared Sunak, hinting at his determination to obtain approval for the Rwanda scheme.
Sunak categorically lambasted the Labour peers for attempting to obstruct his plan using every possible manoeuvre. Sunak chastised, “Labour’s priority is not to stop the boats but to stop the planes deporting [illegal immigrants].” Yet he didn’t acknowledge the resistance from cross-bench peers and Tory peers who also failed to support his scheme.
The prime minister reassured that his government had already arranged plane rides and landing strips for deportations awaiting the House of Lords’ approval of the final draft of his scheme.
Cleverly has been assigned the responsibility of executing the strategy that Sunak relies on to boost his dwindling hopes for election. Enhancing the Conservatives’ chances might require more than just his usual 100 daily push-ups.