This is absolutely devastating from Lord Deben (a former Conservative Party Chairman). Worth watching to the end.

I worked for John for a few years when he chaired an environmental charity I ran. It is mind blowing that the Tory party is no longer a safe haven of people of his intellect or moderate, pro-European, humanitarian compass. A tragedy for our politics.

Brilliantly put 👌

It's good to hear a Tory with some decency!

All credit to him. Of course, it's Schrödinger's Rwanda. To make it a deterrent, it's presented as the worst place to go to, whilst at the same time being promoted as the best/safest. All depends on who the audience is as to how it's framed. Madness!

Blimey! You know the game's up when John Selwyn Gummer thinks you're wronguns!

A great man there defending democracy! We have to be done with these people asap!

Canute pedant here! He didn’t think he could turn the tide back, he was demonstrating to obsequious courtiers who had said that he could that he very much couldn’t. Other than that, never thought I’d be agreeing with John Selwyn Gummer.

I find myself being rather glad we have the house of Lords. Never thought I'd say that!

I think it’s pretty shocking that amidst all the widespread criticism of the government, we’re not hearing much comment like this. The Rwanda Bill may be the most appalling legislation ever put forward by a British government, and I’m not sure how many people have noticed.

If ever there was an argument to retain the Upper House (sure, reformed), this is it. The Tories have discredited it on purpose.

@doctor_oxford This isn’t it, but there would be a point at which the judges would draw a line and say, “This law is invalid because it destroys the rule of law and the separation of powers”. That would be a Constitutional crisis; a Government like this one that lacks popular support would fall

Careful Lord Deben, also remember what happened to Sir Thomas More when he didn't want to sign off on the dictators' demands

@campbellclaret It’s ironic that most of the remaining decent Tories are in the Lords not the Commons.

Labour should make it abundantly clear that the first thing they will do in office is repeal this, assuming it becomes law.

@campbellclaret Canute was actually making the opposite point. That the power of kings (governments) is not absolute, and you can tell the tides to go out, but they will do as they would do anyway. It was a demonstration of futility of saying reality is other than it is.

Or if you are Donald Trump, you can be immune from prosecution no matter what the crime.

@redflame1960 At last a Tory who has humanity & is prepared to speak out. Is there actually any in the Tory government who have the balls to speak against the atrocious Rwanda deal? I think not. I hope that Lord Deben is able to convince a significant amount of others in the Lords.

Cue "Leftie Lords" headlines in the Tory backing UK MSM (looking at you BBC) 🙄

In fact when he says “The Conservatives are a Constitutionalist ( party)” he then goes on to demonstrate that they are not. They have no regard for laws or anything that prevents them making ( or arguably taking) money.

....The younger me would find it astonishing to be applauding every word of what John Selwyn Gummer had set out...❤💯👏 😳

@jgraddon @lorddeben, though never a Tory voter, I have some sympathy for those remaining in a (once more sensible) party that has recently seen many more (cap)able members kicked out & has been seemingly hijacked by more extreme elements who just don’t seem to want to understand truth.

For the benefit of the youngsters out there, Gummer was widely regarded as something of an object of ridicule in the Thatcher years. That's how far the bar has been lowered in the intervening years.

@alexhallhall Live by a "constitution" that's no more than an understanding between reasonable chaps, and you die at the hands of the chaps who aren't quite the "gentlemen" Tories are naturally expected to be. Sigh

Finally some sense. If only the ‘ugly’ Conservatives like Patel, Braverman and the like had an ounce of Lord Deben’s standing …

I drive past his house several times a week and although I’m not a Conservative voter I always look and hope that this particular Conservative politician is around and active for many more years to come. The country has never needed him more.

I think many here have also referred to the Tory government as a bunch of Cnuts.

Well said. There are some good honest Conservatives, shame they are in the Lords not Parliament.

@LaSeamstress 🧵Tory - Centrist collusion: 2004: Tony Blair: "Britain has offered Tanzania an extra £4m in aid if it opens an asylum camp" .

@avaltd british law?

“We all know what is going to happen”!! That sums up governance in the UK. Ringing denunciations, chest-beating, left and right, followed by supine acceptance.

@JoRichardsKent John Selwyn Bummer made good. #bbcpm

Shows how much they have changed

Rwanda is a scam anyway...gaslighting of the highest order...controlled immigration is needed and the current rates need drastically reducing ...1m a year is unsustainable

Rwanda heading for conflict with D.R. Congo…

@Philmoorhouse76 To be fair to Canute, he knew he couldn't stop the sea and was trying to show he couldn't. What he didn't know is that fools always blame their own folly on the wise.

This is the most important documentary of the year... Trump 2024: The World Without Trump