UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is facing a challenging week as he deals with a rebellion from lawmakers over his immigration policy and faces tough questions about his judgment during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the key issues at stake is a legislation aimed at salvaging Sunak's plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda, which faces a vote in the House of Commons on Tuesday. While Conservative lawmakers have been meeting to discuss their concerns about the bill, Sunak has been grilled for six hours at the UK's pandemic inquiry, where he denied taking risks with public health.

Sunak, who was Treasury chief to Prime Minister Boris Johnson when the pandemic hit, defended his decision to back the "Eat Out to Help Out" program, which encouraged people to go back to restaurants in 2020. The program has been linked to a rise in COVID-19 infections, and one senior government science adviser referred to Sunak as "Dr. Death" in a message to colleagues. During the inquiry, Sunak denied there was a clash between public health and economics in the government's response to the pandemic. He stressed that his role was to provide the prime minister with the best advice on the economic impact of potential measures, and that Johnson was the ultimate decision-maker.

He also defended his decision not to consult scientists about the "Eat Out to Help Out" plan, stating that the government had already made the collective decision to reopen indoor hospitality and save the livelihoods of low-paid workers in the sector. Sunak began his testimony by apologizing to all those who suffered during the pandemic and emphasized the importance of learning lessons for future preparedness. However, his evidence did not include the WhatsApp messages from that time, as he claimed they had been lost during multiple phone changes.

Similarly, Prime Minister Johnson has been unable to produce key messages from several months in 2020, citing an old phone with a forgotten password. In addition to the pandemic inquiry, Sunak is also facing challenges regarding the Rwanda plan, which aims to stop unauthorized migrants from reaching England from France in small boats. The plan has already cost the government £240 million ($300 million), but the UK Supreme Court ruled it illegal last month, stating that Rwanda is not a safe destination for refugees. In response, Britain and Rwanda signed a treaty to strengthen protections for migrants, and Sunak's government argues that the treaty allows them to pass a law declaring Rwanda as a safe destination, disregarding the Supreme Court ruling.

The proposed legislation has faced criticism from centrist Conservative lawmakers who are concerned about sidelining the courts. However, a major centrist faction, the One Nation group, has voiced support for the bill. On the other hand, legislators from the party's authoritarian wing believe the bill does not go far enough and leaves avenues for migrants to challenge deportation. The hard-line European Research Group of Conservative lawmakers has stated that the bill needs major changes. The outcome of Tuesday's vote on the bill will have significant implications, potentially threatening Sunak's leadership. Sunak believes that delivering on his promise to "stop the boats" will help the Conservatives narrow the opinion-poll gap with the opposition Labour Party before the upcoming election. However, some Tory lawmakers are skeptical about