Robert Jenrick Minister for Immigration quits after Rishi Sunak rejects demands over European human rights laws

Rishi Sunak appears set to be rocked by the resignation of his immigration minister after rejecting demands to opt out of European human rights laws to revive the Rwanda policy. Robert Jenrick was said to have quit by one of his Home Office colleagues after the Prime Minister shunned taking the more hardline option with his new emergency legislation.

Mr Jenrick and his team are yet to comment, but the Conservative MP was conspicuously absent from Home Secretary James Cleverly’s statement to the Commons about the new draft legislation. Home Office minister Laura Farris has told LBC: “I understand that he has (gone).” Asked why, she said: “I don’t know in all honesty. I just came from the chamber and found out after I connected to your show.”

Labour former minister demands to know whether immigration minister Jenrick has resigned. Speaking in the Commons, Labour MP for Rhondda Sir Chris Bryant said: “The Home Secretary has twice refused to answer the question of whether the immigration minister has resigned, but he has, hasn’t he?

"And can he just tell us, has he resigned because he thinks that this policy doesn’t stand an earthly chance of working, or has he resigned because he’s embarrassed that a British Government would actually put ministers above the law? In other words, has he resigned because he thinks this policy is crazy or because he doesn’t think it’s crazy enough?”

In response, Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “His question is not one for me.”