Suella Braverman breaks silence on Rwanda ruling with demand to trigger emergency powers

Suella Braverman has called on Rishi Sunak to introduce emergency legislation after the Supreme Court ruled the Rwanda plan is unlawful.

The former home secretary demanded measures to override the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Human Rights Act and other "routes of legal challenge".

Mrs Braverman, who was sacked by the PM on Monday, insisted the Government must "legislate or admit defeat".

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, she said: "Today’s Supreme Court judgment is no surprise.

"It was predicted by a number of people close to the process. Given the current state of the law, there is no reason to criticise the judges. Instead, the Government must introduce emergency legislation.

"The Bill must block off ECHR, HRA, and other routes of legal challenge.

"This will give Parliament a clear choice: control illegal migration or explain to the British people why they should accept ever greater numbers of illegal arrivals settling here.

"Those who - like me - believe that effective immigration control is vital must understand that they cannot have their cake and eat it: there is no chance of curbing illegal migration within the current legal framework. We must legislate or admit defeat."

It comes after five judges at the UK's highest court unanimously rejected the Government's appeal over its policy of sending Channel migrants on a one-way ticket to the east African nation.

The Supreme Court ruled that the scheme is unlawful because of the risk genuine asylum seekers could be forced back to their country of origin by Kigali.

In a Downing Street press conference shortly after Mrs Braverman's intervention, the PM promised emergency legislation and a new treaty with Rwanda addressing the Supreme Court's concerns.

But the emergency legislation deeming the east African nation as a safe destination does not appear to go as far as the former home secretary's demands.

Mr Sunak, who is facing pressure from Tory MPs on the right of the party to pull out of the European Convention on Human Rights, also vowed he "will not allow a foreign court to block these flights".