Suella Braverman told Rishi Sunak SIX times his Rwanda plan was too risky – but he ‘failed to heed’ her warnings
SUELLA Braverman sent Rishi Sunak six letters during her year as Home Secretary warning his Rwanda plan risked being a failure.
But the PM “failed to heed” her warnings, The Sun on Sunday has been told.
The bombshell claims pile yet more pressure on Mr Sunak, who is facing the biggest crisis of his time in No 10.
Furious Conservative MPs are in open revolt after he sacked her and lost the Supreme Court Rwanda ruling in a turbulent 48 hours.
A Tory source said: “Suella was always clear about what was needed to stop the boats from the minute she came in as Home Secretary. That never changed.
“It was very tense at times — she got more of what she wanted in negotiations, but never enough.
“Rishi and No 10 repeatedly failed to heed her warnings that we could lose in the courts and needed other options as well as a much tougher approach.”
The source added: “Now we are miles behind in the polls. The buck stops with Sunak.”
Ms Braverman said the Rwanda deportation policy will fail unless Britain opts out of human rights laws, including the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
Privately, she warned the Government was at high risk of losing the Supreme Court judgment and pressed for a far tougher Plan B.
And, in a blistering interview with the Mail on Sunday, she also accused the PM of lacking “moral leadership” by not coming down hard enough over the recent pro-Palestine marches.
Ms Braverman said: “We’ve seen hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets on a weekly basis chanting anti-Semitic slogans, celebrating acts of terrorism, threatening community cohesion and undermining British values.
“There had been tepid and timid statements from the Prime Minister throughout the course of this issue and I felt there was a real opportunity for him to demonstrate some moral leadership, to demonstrate this is not what Britain stands for, that we are an inclusive, tolerant and respectful nation whereby violence on the streets is unacceptable.
“I felt that was wholly lacking.”
She said the police had “let down the British people, let down the Jewish community”.
She added: “What we’ve seen on the streets of Britain really reflects a very high risk of radicalisation, extremism and anti-Semitism.”
Ms Braverman said Mr Sunak must “change course urgently” to avoid electoral oblivion.
Her explosive comments come after a hellish week for Mr Sunak, whose party is once again descending into civil war.
After months of bitter rows, the PM brutally sacked Ms Braverman in a short phone call on Monday.
Divided party
But the move deeply divided his party.
Some Conservatives privately hailed her departure, but others on the Right were spitting feathers.
Two days later, the PM suffered his biggest blow since moving into No 10 when the Supreme Court ruled against his flagship Rwanda deportation scheme.
Furious Mr Sunak slammed the verdict and vowed to do whatever it takes to get deportation flights off the ground.
He is bringing forward his Plan B “within days”.
This includes a new legal treaty with Rwanda and emergency legislation declaring the country safe.
But Ms Braverman has warned this will flop unless Mr Sunak finally takes her advice and opts Britain out of human rights laws.
She has accused him of “magical thinking” and warned “tinkering” will not stop the boats.
Last night, No 10 hit back at claims Ms Braverman privately agitated for a tougher course of action.
A government spokesman said: “As the Prime Minister has set out, we were prepared for all outcomes of the Supreme Court case.
“That is why we have been working on a treaty with Rwanda, providing a guarantee in law that those relocated there will be protected against being removed.
“And we’ll bring in emergency legislation to end the merry-go-round of litigation in our domestic courts.
‘Magical thinking’
“We are fully focused on making our Rwanda plan operational as swiftly as possible, delivering on our commitment to stop the boats.”
The Tory Party has been plunged into a fresh bout of infighting over what the Government’s response to the Supreme Court should be.
Some have suggested the Conservatives are hurtling towards a fresh Brexit-style split over whether or not to quit the ECHR.
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, writing in today’s Sun on Sunday, said: “The frustration with this Government is not that it is bad or incompetent, but that it is always just too late.”
The Rwandan government has slammed the Supreme Court ruling.
Writing in today’s Sun on Sunday, spokeswoman Yolande Makolo said: “The Supreme Court’s highly political judgment on the Migration and Economic Development Partnership was insulting to my country.”
Right-wing Tory MPs want Mr Sunak to adopt Ms Braverman’s approach and toughen the law so we opt out of human rights laws for borders policy.
Some inside the Government have dismissed it as “legal voodoo” that will not work.
But Downing Street is understood to be considering the plan.
If Mr Sunak refuses, Tory rebels, led by Sir Bill Cash, are preparing their own amendment to try to force his hand.
But this risks sparking a row within the Conservative Party as many Tory MPs loathe the idea of quitting our international human rights obligations.
Either way, No 10 and the Tory Party are braced for a giant dust- up with the House of Lords over the Rwanda Plan B.
Former Cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke wants the Government to call a snap election if the Lords block it.
'Ruling is insult to my country'
By Yolande Makolo, Spokeswoman for the Rwandan government
THE Supreme Court’s highly political judgement on the Migration and Economic Dev-elopment Partnership (MEDP) was insulting to my country.
Judges based their decision on inaccurate evidence from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
You would think the UNHCR believes Rwanda was dangerous.
Yet it continues to partner with us to evacuate asylum seekers from terrible situations in Libya.
The UNHCR has even called our treatment of refugees and asylum seekers “exemplary”.
Under the MEDP, anyone who comes to Rwanda will be offered a chance to build a life here. We want them to build decent prospects.
But for this to happen, we need investment to help unlock the potential of our continent.
This is why this partnership includes support for economic development.
Campaigners have demonised Rwanda just because they don’t like the policy.
If you want to criticise the MEDP, go ahead.
But don’t attack Rwanda using lies.