Sunak, whose polished pragmatism sometimes masks his distinctly conservative views, sees tackling immigration as crucial for his right-wing credentials
Ever since he precipitated Boris Johnson’s downfall, British prime minister Rishi Sunak has been disparaged as a liberal centrist by the Conservative right. Sunak, whose polished pragmatism sometimes masks his distinctly conservative views, sees tackling immigration as crucial for his right-wing credentials. His choice of Brexiteer Suella Braverman, who told an interviewer last year that her dream was to deport rejected asylum seekers to Rwanda, signaled to his party’s right that he was on their side in this debate.
Sunak himself has made stopping the illegal boats bringing migrants over the Channel a top priority. He’s taking a multipronged approach, using a mix of legislation, cooperation with France, a deal with Albania (where many of the migrants originated), and a scheme to send those with rejected asylum claims to Rwanda (currently tied up in legal challenges).
Figures published last week showed 2022 migration at a record high of 606,000, agitating Tory MPs, especially those elected in 2019 by working-class voters who expected Brexit to mean lower migration.
So, when Braverman was caught up in a scandal over a speeding ticket, Sunak thought long and hard, as opposition parties and moderate Tory MPs clamored for her removal. Ultimately Sunak opted to keep her in post, avoiding a confrontation with the Conservative right. For now, the peace is holding.
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