London

The political enemies of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak were allegedly plotting the end of his career last week at an Italian restaurant in London, the Daily Mail said in a report late Saturday (Dec 9). As per the report, a group of MPs and political strategists dining at Giovanni were busy turning a torrent of headlines damaging to Sunak. The report said that the group intended to leave 10 Downing Street reeling from a series of blows in the wake of the sacking of Suella Braverman as home secretary in November.

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One of the plotters of the group has been open about wanting to crash the Sunak administration to install a new leader before the upcoming election.

Also read | 'It will work': Rishi Sunak pleads conservatives to support his Rwanda asylum plan

"Our polling is down to 20 per cent, which is wipeout territory. Even a five per cent bounce from a new leader would save a decent number of seats. [Sunak] can't win on the legislation, because every wing of the party is p***** off for one reason or another," the plotter told the publication.

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Suella Braverman's resignation and her brutally parting letter were followed by the resignation of Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick over PM Sunak's plans to use emergency legislation to rescue his scheme to send Channel migrants to Rwanda, which he felt did not go far enough.

A crucial vote on Tuesday

Now on Tuesday, Downing Street would open the latest advent calendar window, when lawmakers are given the first chance to vote on the legislation. 

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Supporters of Sunak have scathed about Jenrick's resignation. One Home Office source told the Daily Mail, "He (Jenrick) thinks he is the new darling of the Right, but it's a Damascene conversion given that prior to joining the Home Office he thought the whole premise of the Rwanda scheme was wrong."

A Tory source, meanwhile, told the publication that Braverman and Jenrick fought like rats in a sack in the Home Office, constantly wrangling for the limelight and blaming each other when something went wrong.

Also read: UK govt introduces tighter work visa rules, Rishi Sunak calls it ‘radical measure’ to curb immigration

Before the vote is held on Tuesday, the European Research Group's (ERG) Sir Bill Cash will chair a 'star chamber' which will give its verdict on the proposed Rwandan legislation.

The report further said that last week's plotting moved up a gear in the hours after Home Secretary James Cleverly unveiled his Rwanda Bill in the Commons with around 36 MPs including Braverman drinking wine in West Dorset MP Chris Loder's office.

"The mood was jubilant after Rob Jenrick went. All the talk was – what will our next chess move be?," one rebel lawmaker told the publication.

(With inputs from agencies)