All of Oxfordshire’s MPs voted to reject an amendment which would have toughened up the Rwanda bill.

The bill had been initially introduced to declare the African nation “safe” and to make arrangements for speedy removals of asylum seekers from the UK.

And now, close to 60 Conservatives defied prime minister Rishi Sunak and voted for the amendment from former minister Robert Jenrick in the House of Commons on Tuesday (January 16).

The amendment aimed to severely limit individual asylum seekers’ ability to appeal against being put on a flight to Rwanda.

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But it failed after 525 MPs voted against it.

This included two Oxfordshire Tories who have worked closely on the bill – Banbury MP Victoria Prentis and Witney MP Robert Courts.

As attorney general, Mrs Prentis has been tasked with drawing up a watertight Rwanda bill, supported and deputised by Mr Courts as solicitor general.

Henley MP John Howell and Wantage MP David Johnston – the county’s two other Tory MPs – also voted to reject the amendment.

Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East, was one of 190 Labour MPs whose names were also included in the noes.

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A total of 14 Liberal Democrat MPs voted against the amendment, including Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon.

Under the Government’s plan, migrants who cross the English Channel on small boats could be sent on a one-way trip to Rwanda rather than being allowed to try to seek asylum in the UK.

The legislation along with a recently signed treaty with Kigali are aimed at ensuring the scheme is legally watertight following a Supreme Court ruling against it last year.

No asylum seekers arriving via unauthorised routes have been relocated as yet following a series of challenges in the courts.