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Watch: James Cleverly denies slating Rishi’s Rwanda plan

Charlie Stayt and James Cleverly (Credit: BBC)

The Tory party is still reeling from the Supreme Court’s ruling against the Rwanda migrant plan. Following Suella Braverman’s departure, it now falls to the new Home Secretary James Cleverly to help Rishi Sunak find a way through the mess and pacify the party’s grumblings. But it seems that Cleverly may be, er, starting on the back foot. Yesterday in the Commons, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper claimed that Cleverly never believed in the scheme and ‘may even on occasion have privately called it “batshit”’.

As luck would have it, Cleverly was on the morning broadcast round this morning. On BBC Breakfast he was quizzed on the comment by the presenter, Charlie Stayt.

‘Yesterday in the Commons, you were accused of describing the Rwanda system as “batshit”. Is that true? Did you say those words?’ Stayt asked.

Cleverly gave a small chuckle, before responding with ‘That was a claim made of me, not something that I said.’

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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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