Rishi Sunak is facing a pincer movement from both the right and left of the Tory party over immigration, in what could be the fieriest blue-on-blue battle since Liz Truss was forced out of Downing Street.
Up to 10 Tory ministers are reportedly prepared to quit the Government if Mr Sunak presses ahead with the most hardline approach to cracking down on the UK’s record-high immigration numbers.
The group of centrist saboteurs is especially opposed to any attempt to bring in emergency legislation to disapply the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) from applying to the Government’s flagship Rwanda scheme.
The word of potential mass resignations emerged after the One Nation group of centrist Tory MPs – numbering around 100 of the parliamentary fold – issued an explicit warning to the Government about Britain’s obligation to international law.
Matt Warman, a leading member of the One Nation caucus, said overriding the ECHR would be a “red line for a number of Conservatives”.
Click here to join our Whatsapp community to be the first to receive politics news from The Express
He said: “The Government should be cautious about using an approach which could potentially undermine the Conservatives’ long-lasting legacy on human rights and indeed our own existing, highly effective arrangements with Albania, France and other crucial partners. Protecting and reforming institutions and upholding human rights should be the cornerstone of any Conservative government.”
Fellow One Nation MP Stephen Hammond said many “moderates and mainstream” Tories will “struggle to support a so-called full-fat deal”. However, Mr Sunak faces equal pressure from the right of his party, who are demanding his new ECHR plan should override the ECHR.
While 10 Ministers may quit if he does so, up to 40 Tory rebels are reportedly ready to rebel if Mr Sunak’s plan to crack down on immigration doesn’t go far enough.
A Tory insider said such a large contingent of rebels would be able to stall the policy entirely.
The row comes after a well-publicised joint meeting of a number of right-wing Tory MP caucuses yesterday, whose lawyers are now poring over the legislation before MPs vote on it.
ERG chairman Mark Francois warned the Government that his troops will not be “bounced” into backing the legislations without proper time to scrutinise it.
In an Avengers Assemble-style gathering yesterday evening, the ERG joined forces with the Common Sense Group and the New Conservatives to thrash out conditions on the emergency legislation due to allow deportations to Rwanda to go ahead.
The ERG’s Star Chamber of lawyers will decide “whether the Bill fully respects Parliamentary sovereignty, with unambiguous wording which would facilitate flights to Rwanda”.
A source told the Express that yesterday was “bedlam”.
They said: “It is clear that the government were trying to bounce us into supporting the Bill by publishing it tomorrow (Wednesday).
“It looks like it has been delayed until next week but we need time to consider the details.”
