Vantage | Will Rishi Sunak survive the 'no-confidence' on two fronts?

In the tumultuous landscape of UK politics, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak finds himself besieged on multiple fronts, with challenges emanating from both the country’s Supreme Court and a disgruntled former ally, Suela Braverman.

Supreme Court’s verdict: “Deport to Rwanda” plan deemed unlawful The UK’s Supreme Court recently delivered a significant blow to Sunak’s administration by declaring the “Deport to Rwanda” plan illegal. The controversial strategy, initiated under former prime minister Boris Johnson, aimed to address illegal migration by sending asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing. The court, led by President Robert Reed, concluded that there were substantial grounds to believe that this plan exposed individuals to the risk of refoulement, deeming it unlawful. “As I have explained, the legal test which has to be applied in this case is whether there are substantial grounds for believing that asylum seekers sent to Rwanda would be at real risk of refoulement. And in the light of the evidence which I have summarised, the Court of Appeal concluded that there were such grounds. We are unanimously of the view that they were entitled to reach that conclusion,” said Supreme Court President Robert Reed. When Sunak assumed office, he threw his weight behind the Rwanda plan, viewing it as a cornerstone in his five-point agenda. One of his key promises was to “stop the small boats” and curb illegal migration. However, with the Supreme Court’s ruling, Sunak faces a critical setback, as his primary strategy to fulfill these promises has been deemed legally untenable. Braverman’s reckoning: Former home secretary attacks Sunak’s leadership Adding fuel to the fire, Sunak faced a scathing attack from his former home secretary, Suela Braverman. Sacked earlier in the week, Braverman minced no words in her open letter, accusing Sunak of weakness and dishonesty. She questioned his competence, stating, “Either your distinctive style of government means you are incapable of doing so. Or, as I must surely conclude now, you never had any intention of keeping your promises…. If we lose in the Supreme Court, you will have wasted a year and an Act of Parliament, only to arrive back at square one…. Worse than this, your magical thinking — believing that you can will your way through this without upsetting polite opinion — has meant you have failed to prepare any sort of credible Plan B.” The former home secretary strategically absolves herself from blame, positioning Sunak as the sole architect of the Rwanda fiasco. As Sunak grapples with a vote of no confidence and the Supreme Court’s ruling, Braverman’s attack threatens to erode his support base further. The timing of these dual assaults couldn’t be worse for Sunak, whose chances of re-election and leadership within the Conservative Party hang in the balance. If the Conservative Party falters in the upcoming general election, Braverman may emerge as a formidable contender, potentially spelling the end of Sunak’s premiership. In the ever-evolving drama of UK politics, the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s verdict and Braverman’s onslaught leaves Rishi Sunak facing a precarious political landscape, with his leadership and the future of the Conservative Party hanging in the balance. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.