‘Devoid Of Humanity’: Sunak Hosts Drinks For Tory MPs Ahead Of Late-Night Rwanda Vote

The Conservative Party has been accused of being “devoid of humanity” after a drinks event was set to be held in Rishi Sunak’s office ahead of a late-night of voting on the Rwanda deportation plan.

Legislation clearing the way for the one-way flights to east Africa to take off is facing a game of parliamentary “ping-pong”, with the plan being held up by the House of Lords.

Both the Lords and the Commons are voting on the legislation on Monday, and Sunak said they would remain in session until the wording of the Safety of Rwanda Bill,  is approved.

Against the backdrop of commentators expecting parliament to sit until the early hours of Tuesday morning, Tory chief whip Simon Hart has reportedly invited Conservative MPs to the prime minister’s parliamentary office for drinks from 9.30pm to mark “a potentially long and historic night ahead”, according to The Sun’s Noa Hoffman.

It prompted a fierce reaction from the floor of the House of Commons and on social media.

Alison Thewliss, the SNP home affairs spokesperson, told MPs it is “heartless and despicable” that the Tories are planning drinks tonight while passing legislation to send people to Rwanda.

She also said on X/Twitter: “Nothing calls for jovial celebratory drinks like voting for state-sponsored people trafficking. The Tories are utterly devoid of humanity.”

On Monday, Sunak said the first flights would take off in 10-12 weeks but refused to provide details about how many people would be deported or exactly when the flights would occur.

In preparation for the bill’s approval, the government has already chartered planes for the deportation flights, increased detention space, hired more immigration caseworkers and freed up court space to handle appeals, Sunak said.

Britain and Rwanda signed a deal almost two years ago that would see migrants who cross the English Channel in small boats sent to the East African country, where they would remain permanently. So far, no migrant has been sent to Rwanda under the agreement.

The plan is key to Sunak’s pledge to “stop the boats” bringing unauthorised migrants to the UK. He argues that deporting asylum seekers will deter people from making risky journeys and break the business model of people-smuggling gangs.