WISH CALLED RWANDA Robert Jenrick kicks off crunch week for Rishi Sunak by accusing him of misleading public over Rwanda plan

 RISHI Sunak’s one-time pal Robert Jenrick kicked off a crunch week for the PM by accusing him of misleading the public over Rwanda.

The ex-Immigration Minister tore into the Premier yesterday, claiming he is knowingly pretending new laws to kick out small boat migrants will work.

In a hammer blow to the PM’s emergency legislation to save his Rwanda deportation scheme, Mr Jenrick hit out: “A political choice has been made to bring forward a bill that doesn’t do the job.”

Accusing Mr Sunak of being scared of criticism if he took a harder line on the European Convention on Human Rights, he said: “We’re not sent to Parliament to be concerned about our reputations on the gilded international circuit.”

Last night, furious allies of the PM — whose tough week begins today when he gives evidence at the Covid Inquiry — accused the departed minister of being on manoeuvres to further his own career.

Mr Jenrick denied the claim, but a government source said: “Robert has changed his tune dramatically, leading people to conclude this is more about his career ambitions than policy principle. People are baffled by his behaviour.”

However, a friend of Mr Jenrick hit back: “Robert has acted on principle. No10 seem to be playing the man, not the ball.”

Meanwhile, Gary Lineker last night risked fresh controversy by backing a call to scrap the Rwanda scheme.

The Match of the Day presenter joined other celebs in support of the Together With Refugees campaign.

Its letter to party leaders calls for “protection for people fleeing war and persecution by upholding the UK’s commitment under international law to the right to claim asylum and by scrapping the Rwanda scheme”.

MPs are poring over the details of Mr Sunak’s new bill that will declare Rwanda a safe country to deport migrants to after the Supreme Court blocked the plan last month.

Ahead of the first vote on the legislation tomorrow, it has been criticised by right-wingers who want it toughened up, and left-wing Tories who want to water it down.

A key point for critics is whether potential deportees will have the power to personally appeal.

Critics say this means the whole system will be bogged down once again by spurious complaints.

Yet No10 sources claimed fewer than one in 200 would be able to successfully appeal under the new legislation.

Mr Jenrick confirmed yesterday he will not support the “weak” bill in its current form, suggesting he would instead abstain on tomorrow’s vote.

He is expected to be joined by several other MPs — however, other rebels last night suggested they would vote in favour of the bill, but then seek to amend it later.

Such a move would avert a major political crisis for the PM ahead of Christmas, but push the battle over the UK’s relationship with the Strasbourg court into the new year.

Michael Gove defended the legislation as “tough and robust”.

He also insisted ministers are not contemplating a general election if they lose tomorrow night’s vote.

Yet he left the door open to amendments, saying: “Of course, as it goes through its various stages, we will consider thoughtful suggestions about how the legislation can be improved — if those suggestions do come forward”

No10 was sticking to its claim that the bill did not need changing. A source said: “We are talking to colleagues, but we are confident this bill is extremely robust and makes the routes for any individual challenge vanishingly small.”

Leading right-winger Sir Bill Cash said his lawyers and experts did not believe the bill went far enough.

But he left the door open to changes, giving MPs the chance to swerve a full-scale rebellion.

On the Left, Damian Green and his band of moderate One Nation Conservatives will meet tomorrow to make up their minds whether to oppose the legislation over concerns about breaking international law and deeming Rwanda “safe”.

And the former de-facto Deputy Prime Minister played down the “very, very small number” of colleagues agitating for a new leader.

He told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “Anyone who thinks that what the Conservative Party or the country needs is a change in Prime Minister is either mad or malicious — or both.”

Labour will whip to vote against the bill, meaning a rebellion by 28 Tories could defeat the legislation.