Rishi Sunak was told on Thursday that caving in to Tory Rightwingers and allowing ministers to defy European court judgements will set a “extraordinarily bad example for a country committed to the rule of law.”
Former Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd issued a stern warning, emphasising that a government dismissing court judgements it disagreed with would be “symbolic of a breach of the rule of law.”
He said that the proposed modifications, which are expected in revisions to the contentious Illegal Migration Bill, will almost certainly meet a reaction in the Lords.
His remarks come after a number of Conservative MPs were said to have reached an agreement with the Prime Minister to amend new regulations for removing migrants who arrive in the UK on tiny boats, despite threatening to rebel over the legislation.
Danny Kruger MP, who is on the Right of the party and among those leading the calls, said he was “grateful to the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary for their work”, the BBC said.
A source close to the MPs reportedly said ministers had agreed to give the Home Secretary powers to disregard injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights – so-called Rule 39 orders – in some instances.
The source indicated a second amendment will also be introduced requiring British judges to decide a deportation would cause “serious and irreversible harm” in order to block it.