Headache for Rishi Sunak as senior Tory set to defy Government over Rwanda Bill
RISHI Sunak was hit by a fresh headache tonight as one of his Tory chiefs appeared set to defy the Government over the flagship Rwanda Bill.
It is understood Deputy Party Chairman Lee Anderson is ready to back the amendments tabled by the Tory right in a series of crunch votes this week.
More than 50 MPs have publicly added their names to the amendments, which seek to disapply international law and prevent migrants blocking their deportation through individual appeals.
Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch is also understood to have privately warned the Bill needs strengthening.
A source told The Times the Cabinet Minister met with the PM's chief of staff, Liam Booth-Smith, last month to warn of the political consequences of failing to limit individual migrants from lodging legal challenges.
Mr Anderson refused to comment but rebel sources said they had been told he will back the changes if selected by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
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The amendments are unlikely to be voted through as they will not get Labour support, but the real test will come at the third reading when the rebels may reject the Bill entirely.
The leaders of three groups on the Tory right - Mark Francois, Sir John Hayes and Danny Kruger - have already warned the PM they could vote against the Bill if he does not bow to their demands.
But more moderate Tories in the One Nation group are set to oppose any changes that threaten international law and could reject the Bill if amendments to beef it up are passed.
Former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland already told the BBC: “If any of the amendments that are promoted by some other colleagues pass then there’s no way I can vote for this Bill at third reading.”
