A Tory minister has insisted his party is “united” despite a huge rebellion against Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan.
Illegal migration minister Michael Tomlinson made the bizarre claim just hours after the Conservatives became embroiled in a fresh round of in-fighting.
Two of the party’s deputy chairmen, as well as a ministerial aide, all resigned to vote against the Tory whip of the PM’s flagship Safety of Rwanda Bill, which is aimed at finally getting deportation flights to the country off the ground.
In all, 60 of Sunak’s own MPs defied him to back amendments designed to make the bill stronger.
But despite the Tory chaos, Tomlinson told Kay Burley on Sky News that there were no splits within the party.
He said: “What we saw yesterday was a unity of purpose - every single Conservative member of parliament determined to ensure that the Rwanda policy works and to stop the boats.”
Sunak faces fresh rebellions today when MPs vote on more rebel amendments, before a crunch vote on the bill in its entirety.
It would take fewer than 30 Tories to vote with the opposition to defeat the legislation and deliver a crushing blow to Sunak’s authority.
But Tomlinson insisted: “There will be doubtless robust exchanges this afternoon on the chamber of the House of Commons, but there is a unity of purpose in ensuring that this legislation works.”