Jenrick goes rogue saying he would have toughened immigration rules a year ago
Robert Jenrick appeared to breach collective cabinet responsibility in the Commons by expressing frustration that his efforts to cut net migration had been stymied for a year.
The Immigration Minister also said on Tuesday the public are âsick of talkâ on cutting immigration and called for a âserious package of fundamental reformsâ, saying he would have done this âbefore last Christmas if I could have doneâ.
He warned warned Cabinet colleagues tussling over fresh measures âthe time for tinkering is overâ.
The minister, who answers directly to No 10, appeared to be expressing frustration that his calls to bring down net migration to the UK, which hit a record 745,000 in figures released last week, was not properly listened to in Whitehall until now.
The comments called into question Cabinet collective responsibility which dictates that Cabinet members keep to the agreed government line in public, and do not challenge it.
Mr Jenrick also agreed with a series of right-leaning Conservative MPs who said they were ârelyingâ on him to ensure Rishi Sunak adopts a tough package to crack down on net migration.
The ministerâs status as a close ally of Mr Sunak is also being questioned in Westminster, with his comments appearing to align him with recently-sacked former home secretary Suella Braverman, who has accused the Prime Minister of ignoring demands for tougher measures to bring down net migration over the last year.
But a source close to Mr Jenrick said they ârejectâ suggestions he was stretching collective responsibility, saying the ministerâs comments were in line with Mr Sunak and Home Secretary James Cleverlyâs admission that net migration was âfar too highâ.
A Government source also tried to play down divisions, saying they âdonât recogniseâ suggestions Mr Jenrick had broken collective responsibility and noting that the minister âhas been praised multiple times in Cabinet recently for his work on thisâ.
His comments come amid cross-Whitehall negotiations on an upcoming package of measures, with departments including the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Treasury and Foreign Office understood to be wary of some of the toughest policy proposals to cut legal migration.
Amid the private talks, Mr Jenrick said there were âstrong argumentsâ for a cap on migration numbers either overall or on specific visa routes and confirmed ministers were âcarefully consideringâ action to cut the number of dependents brought by foreign workers.
âMy plan would have been brought to the House before last Christmas if I could have done,â he added in the Commons.
Mr Jenrick spoke as he was praised by Tory right-wingers, including Ms Bravermanâs closest ally Sir John Hayes, who have been criticising Mr Sunak for allowing the net migration figures to rise to record levels.
Jonathan Gullis said he was âdeeply concernedâ by the net migration figures and told Mr Jenrick he has his âfull support [in pushing for tougher measures], although Iâm sure that wonât help him with those in No 10â.
Mr Jenrick replied that he supported Mr Gullis âin his lobbying and campaigning for the Government to take this issue seriouslyâ.
Sir Edward Leigh meanwhile said the minister was âon the right sideâ and that he has âjust got to persuade the PM nowâ, to which Mr Jenrick said he was âabsolutely right and I agree with everything he saidâ.
Sir John told Mr Jenrick âwe are relying on [you] to sort this outâ, to which the minister said Ms Bravermanâs ally and him âare at one on this issueâ.
It came amid a separate row over the Governmentâs emergency laws to save the Rwanda deportation deal.
Tory MPs voiced scepticism about briefings suggesting Government lawyers had warned ministers that going for the so-called âfull fatâ option of using the laws to override the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) â demanded by right-wingersâ could lead to legal challenges.
One said it looked like the Government was âmaking excusesâ while another said they were âhighly suspiciousâ of the advice.
âThis is the problem when trust breaks down,â the second MP added.
Asked whether Mr Sunak had blocked Mr Jenrickâs proposed policies to bring down net migration, the Prime Ministerâs official spokesman told i: âI donât know specifically [what] he is referring to, itâs not unusual for policy to be discussed in the normal way between departments.
âIâm sure this was no different.
âBut you know, we have in recent months, since last September, introduced the toughest ever package to cut down on abuse of the system and we said we are considering what more we can do.â