Rishi Sunak has managed to secure the passage of his crucial Rwanda bill through the House of Commons, overcoming potential rebellion from within the Conservative Party.

The bill, designed to prevent legal challenges against the government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, was approved with 320 votes in favor to 276 against.

While dozens of Tories initially expressed concerns about the bill, only 11 ultimately voted against it. The legislation will now move to the House of Lords, where it is expected to face strong opposition.

Mr. Sunak argues that deporting certain asylum seekers to Rwanda will act as a deterrent for migrants attempting to reach the UK via the Channel in small boats. However, Labour dismisses the plan as an expensive "gimmick."

The government aims to commence flights to Rwanda by spring. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is scheduled to hold a press conference at 10:15 GMT to discuss the policy.

Over the past two days, right-wing Conservative MPs attempted to amend the bill, fearing that without changes, it could be challenged in court. Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick proposed amendments allowing the UK government to bypass certain aspects of human rights law related to sending individuals to Rwanda.

While these amendments were not approved, they received support from 61 Conservatives, constituting the largest rebellion during Mr. Sunak's premiership. Some MPs had threatened to abstain or vote against the entire bill if it remained unaltered.

The bill could have faced a significant setback if around 30 Conservatives had voted against it, potentially harming the prime minister's authority. However, only 11 MPs, including Mr. Jenrick and former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, ultimately voted against it.

The legislation is expected to encounter further resistance in the House of Lords, where concerns about its compliance with international law persist.

Crossbench peer Lord Carlile emphasized the Lords' responsibility to protect the public from potential abuses of legal correctness and principle by the government. While Mr. Sunak is likely to call for swift passage of the bill in his press conference, Tory rebels argue that legal challenges could still ground flights even after the legislation becomes law.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda stated that he would refund money to the UK if no asylum seekers were sent to his country. The UK has already paid £240 million to Rwanda, with an additional £50 million expected.

A Downing Street spokesman denied accusations of attempting to change the Civil Service code to include ignoring emergency injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights. The government later clarified that it was not seeking to rewrite the code, emphasizing civil servants' responsibility to implement ministers' decisions regarding court rulings. Photo by Arthur Buliva, Wikimedia commons.