PanamaTimes

Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Robert Jenrick Steps Down as Immigration Minister Amid Rwanda Legislation Controversy

Robert Jenrick Steps Down as Immigration Minister Amid Rwanda Legislation Controversy

Robert Jenrick has stepped down as the UK's immigration minister, criticizing the inadequacy of the government's new Rwanda policy.
Jenrick argued the policy needs stronger safeguards to avoid endless legal challenges that could stall the program.

The UK government has declared Rwanda as a safe destination for asylum seekers in new emergency legislation, but critics, including Jenrick, believe it doesn't fully address the issue. Despite Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's support, Jenrick felt he couldn't endorse the legislation as it stood, calling it overly optimistic.

Sunak described Jenrick's resignation as unfortunate, refuting his claims and highlighting that removing judicial oversight could collapse the initiative. The Rwanda plan, intended to deter irregular English Channel crossings, has yet to transfer any asylum seekers due to legal roadblocks.

Jenrick, a Sunak campaign supporter, saw the policy as a critical test for the government to stem irregular migration. Labour's Yvette Cooper criticized the Conservative party's disarray and Sunak's faltering leadership as Jenrick resigned.

There's internal speculation that Sunak might face a no-confidence vote. The proposed bill reacts to a Supreme Court ruling against deportation plans to Rwanda, aiming to circumvent certain Human Rights Act provisions and international obligations.

Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman and her faction have called for more extreme measures, including overriding all human rights and refugee protection laws.

The draft bill narrowly skirts around some European Court of Human Rights directives, still permitting migrants to challenge their deportation on individual grounds of serious harm risk.

Critics say the bill is fundamentally defective and prone to legal entanglements. Moderates within the Conservative party, such as the One Nation group, oppose overriding international agreements and plan to scrutinize the bill's legality. Government lawyers have flagged potential compatibility issues with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Robert Jenrick, a 41-year-old ex-solicitor, became a Conservative MP in 2014 and has since held cabinet positions, including housing secretary under Boris Johnson.

He is a father of three and a known proponent of strict immigration control. Jenrick's tenure has been marred by some controversies, including a planning permission dispute involving a Tory donor.
Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
OpenAI Secures Multimillion-Dollar AI Contracts with Pentagon, India, and Grab
Brazilian Congress Rejects Lula's Proposed Tax Increase on Financial Transactions
Landslide in Bello, Colombia, Results in Multiple Casualties
Papa Johns pizza surge near the Pentagon tipped off social media before Trump's decisive Iran strike
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and Husband Killed in Targeted Attack; Senator John Hoffman and Wife Injured
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Sole Survivor of Air India Crash Recounts Escape
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Protests Erupt in Los Angeles with Symbolic Flag Burning
Trump Administration Issues New Travel Ban Targeting 12 Countries
Man Group Mandates Full-Time Office Return for Quantitative Analysts
JPMorgan Warns Analysts Against Accepting Future-Dated Job Offers
Builder.ai Faces Legal Scrutiny Amid Financial Misreporting Allegations
Japan Grapples with Rice Shortage Amid Soaring Prices
Goldman Sachs Reduces Risk Exposure Amid Market Volatility
HSBC Chairman Mark Tucker to Return to AIA as Non-Executive Chair
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Judge Blocks Trump's Ban on International Students at Harvard
Trump Proposes Travel Ban on 'Uncontrolled' Countries
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Eurozone Inflation Falls Below ECB Target to 1.9%
Call for a New Chapter in Globalisation Emerges
Blackstone and Rivals Diverge on Private Equity Strategy
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Netanyahu Accuses Western Leaders of 'Emboldening Hamas'
Escalating Trade Tensions and Market Reactions
OnlyFans Reportedly in Talks for $8 Billion Sale
JBS Gains Shareholder Approval for U.S. Stock Listing
Booz Allen Hamilton to Cut 2,500 Jobs Amid Federal Spending Reductions
Trump Signs Executive Orders to Accelerate Nuclear Energy Development
Harvard Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration's International Student Ban
Nippon Steel Forms Partnership with U.S. Steel, Headquarters to Remain in Pittsburgh
Trump Expands Tariff Threats to Apple and Samsung Devices
Oracle and OpenAI Plan $40 Billion Nvidia Chip Purchase for AI Data Center
×