Lee Anderson has been blasted by fellow GB News host Nigel Farage after the Tory MP revealed regrets about backing last week’s failed Rwanda coup.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Mr Anderson said he should have voted with Rishi Sunak instead of quitting his job as deputy chairman of the Conservative Party to back rebel amendments aimed at toughening up the bill.
He also signalled he’d like his old job back, and voiced solidarity with Mr Sunak as Sir Simon Clarke demanded the Tories ditch their leader.
Mr Anderson told the paper he should have been “brave” and sided with the Government instead of abstaining on the final vote.
He added he should have “accepted democracy”.
Asked if he’d like his old Deputy Chairman job back, the Red Wall Rottweiler said: “Yeah, of course I would.”
He said: “I did wrong. Well I say I did wrong, I acted on a point of principle. I had to resign. I had no choice. I bear no malice or anything, it’s just I know the rules.”
However the apparent u-turn on his views towards the flagship Rwanda Bill sparked criticism from Nigel Farage, his fellow presenter on GB News.
Mr Farage criticised the flip-flop, demanding to know “What is Lee Anderson playing at?”
The former coal miner and Labour councillor reiterated his belief that the Government “should just ignore the courts” if they intervene to try and block deportations to Rwanda regardless of the new tough legislation.
He also backed up Mr Sunak, who this morning is facing another period of Tory infighting after Sir Simon Clarke called on him to resign.
Mr Anderson downplayed the chances of another leadership contest, promising there is “no chance” of the PM being removed.
He emphatically said: “Read my lips: no chance.”
He added: “He’s got a plan, we’ve got to stick to the plan, haven’t we?
“Rishi’s got a plan. I mean, Rishi’s working with inflation, he’s working with the debt. It looks like we’ve got some tax cuts coming in March.
“You know, if we start putting money back in people’s pockets, their attitudes can change very, very quickly.”
Mr Anderson added he owed a “debt of gratitude” to the Tories, even if he doesn’t always agree with everything the Government does, because “it was them that gave me the job”.
He said: “It was them that financially backed me, it’s them that’s protected me, it’s them that’s given me a political home.
“So why would I knife them in the back?”
