MP Concerned Over Tory Ties to Rwanda and Alleged Terrorist Activity

A hardline Eurosceptic group within the Conservative Party and Tory MPs on the right of the political spectrum have expressed discontent with the Rwanda bill.

British Home Secretary James Cleverly (second from R) is shown around the Kigali Genocide Memorial in Kigali, Rwanda, on Dec. 5, 2023. PA

Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski has brought attention to what he perceives as an “incestuous” relationship between the Conservative Party and the Rwanda government, warning of possible terrorist connections with the country, but remains committed to supporting the government on the bill.

The comments from the Shrewsbury MP come amid the ongoing debate on the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill, with a crucial vote in the Commons scheduled for Tuesday.

Speaking to The Epoch Times, Mr. Kawczynski expressed reservations about Rwanda as a destination for asylum-seekers, citing concerns about the country’s alleged support for a terrorist organisation known as M23, which aims to destabilise northeast Congo.

He said: “I have my own personal reservations about Rwanda. I have a lot of friends in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which the [CCP is] crawling all over. They are alleging that Rwanda is supporting a terrorist organisation called the M23, which is seeking to destabilise northeast Congo and seize the very mineral-wealthy area which borders Congo and Rwanda.”

Mr. Kawczynski highlighted his unease with the selection of Rwanda, particularly in light of allegations that the country is backing terrorist activities. He pointed out that the United States has condemned Rwanda at the United Nations and urged them to cease support for alleged terrorists.

Mr. Kawczynski also suggested a possible connection between the Conservative Party and the Rwanda government, expressing concerns about an “incestuous relationship.” He noted that regular delegations of Conservative MPs visit Rwanda, engaging in humanitarian projects and building links with the Rwandan government.

“Every year that I’ve been a member of Parliament, I’ve been asked by colleagues to visit Rwanda after the genocide,” Mr. Kawczynski said. “A lot of MPs were involved in humanitarian projects in the country, like building schools, teaching English and all the rest of it. And every year, there’s been a delegation of Conservative MPs who have gone out there and clearly built up links with the Rwandan government.”

Tory Right Gather in Brewing Immigration Rebellion

Meanwhile Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces heightened challenges to his authority as rebel MPs from the Tory right called on Monday for the abandonment of the embattled Rwanda bill, arguing that it falls short in preventing legal setbacks.

Mark Francois, chairman of the European Research Group (ERG), urged the prime minister to withdraw the legislation, asserting that it is an “incomplete” solution to the issues surrounding small boat asylum claims. Lawyers assembled by the ERG labelled the bill as needing “very significant amendments” to effectively address the problems associated with deporting individuals crossing the English Channel to Kigali.

Speaking outside Parliament following a meeting of hardline Brexiteers from the ERG and other factions on the Tory right, Mr. Francois suggested the possibility of starting afresh with a new bill based on a different foundation. He stated, “It might be better to start again with a fresh bill that is written on a different basis.”

When questioned about the potential delay of the £290 million scheme, he expressed confidence that, with the right approach and extra effort, a new bill could be drafted relatively quickly. Mr. Francois emphasised the importance of avoiding proceeding with legislation that is ultimately unfit for its intended purpose.

He refrained from expressing confidence in the prime minister and acknowledged that Mr. Sunak’s leadership is at risk if the bill fails to garner sufficient support from Tory MPs.

MP Daniel Kawczynski speaks during the "From The Depths Zabinski Awards" ceremony, honoring non-Jews who saved Jews during the Holocaust and WWII, in Warsaw, on Sept. 18, 2017. Wojtek Radwanski/AFP via Getty Images

Rwanda Plan Questioned But Bill Is Last Chance

Mr. Kawczynski also raised questions about the government’s decision-making process, expressing a desire for more alternatives to be considered, particularly in light of the serious allegations against Rwanda.

“I would have liked them [the government] to have given us a choice, a menu for us to have a debate,” said. “Do we go for Ascension Island, where we control totally everything that goes on? And it’s within our jurisdiction, it’s British territory? Or do we risk sending these people to an African country that, during my lifetime, has had a sort of ethnic cleansing?”

Despite his reservations, Mr. Kawczynski acknowledged a need among the Tory ranks to support the bill, emphasising the importance of sending a strong signal against criminal gangs.

“We’ve got to back it because if we don’t send a signal to these criminal gangs, then we’re going to lose the next election,” he said. “Then the socialists will get in, and then the situation will be 10 times as bad as it is now.”

While many MPs on the right of the party are opposed to the legislation, arguing that it doesn’t go far enough, one Tory MP from that faction told The Epoch Times that any MP not backing the government on the bill “needs to be castrated.” Despite reservations, some Tory lawmakers see simply getting things moving on legislation as a final chance with the electorate.

Following the prime minister’s claim that this is the “toughest” migration legislation by a UK government, ERG lawyers on Monday contended that it doesn’t go far enough to meet its objectives. They cautioned that a clause allowing personal claims undermines the legislation’s aim to prevent individuals from being sent to Rwanda, even if the country is generally considered safe.

Australia Model Praised

Mr. Kawczynski also proposed studying the Australia–Nauru model as a potential solution to the ongoing immigration crisis. He emphasised the challenges faced by the UK owing to the absence of international waters in the English Channel, highlighting the sensitivity and difficulty of intervening in French waters. Mr. Kawczynski acknowledged the potential backlash from the media in cases of mishaps.

Reflecting on the Australia–Nauru model, he noted its success in deterring criminal gangs from targeting Australia. The strategy involved sending illegal immigrants to Nauru, a small Pacific island with limited job opportunities. Drawing parallels, Mr. Kawczynski expressed hope that Rwanda could be the first of many countries to collaborate in a similar manner. He envisions the government, if reelected, exploring alternative nations to address the migration issue.

“It’s an extraordinarily sensitive, complex, and difficult issue. But what will happen now, if you study Australia–Nauru, what I find fascinating is that it’s worked. And the criminal gangs have stopped targeting Australia because the Australians started to send the illegal migrants to Nauru, paradise in the middle of a small country of 11,000 people, paradise in the Pacific Ocean. But there are no job opportunities. Their biggest exports are bird-droppings.”

Mr. Kawczynski outlined the government’s strategy, emphasising that starting with Rwanda represents a challenging but necessary first step. Envisioning a roadmap that involves confronting the European Court of Human Rights and internal courts, he added that it would pave the way for potential expansion of the program in Rwanda and consideration of additional alternatives.

“If the Conservative government is reelected, if it starts to send small numbers to Rwanda before the election, and if it’s reelected, there will be pressure for an expansion of the program in Rwanda to accommodate more people. As time goes by, and to come up with additional supplement alternatives to Rwanda, be that a British Overseas Territory, or be it another country.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a press conference in the Downing Street Briefing Room, London, on Dec. 7, 2023. James Manning/PA Wire

Concerns Over Labour

However, Mr. Kawczynski raised concerns about the Labour Party’s approach, suggesting that if “socialists,” as he termed Sir Keir Starmer’s party, come to power, their inclination to cooperate with the European Union might lead to an influx of immigrants that the UK may struggle to accommodate.

“If the socialists get in, of course, their attitude is they will want us to ultimately reenter the European Union. And they will seek cooperation to stem the flow of these migrants. But we'll have to take the allocation, if you see what I mean, the distribution of illegal migrants, which I think is very counterintuitive, because it will lead to even more people coming into this country, people that we simply can no longer accommodate.”

With preparations to call a general election next year in full swing, with May being the month touted by many insiders, Tuesday’s vote may well decide what leader the Tories choose to head their ship over the final months of this key cycle. A vote against the government could be the final nail in the coffin for Mr. Sunak’s premiership, with the more liberal One Nation faction of Tory MPs also internally debating the viability of the updated Rwanda bill.

Noticeably Suella Braverman, the former home secretary and a vocal critic of Mr. Sunak on immigration policy, was also present at the meeting of ERG lawyers earlier on Monday.

The Epoch Times has reached out to Number 10 Downing Street and the Conservative Party for comment.