Tory rebellion melts away as No 10 ‘confident’ ahead of crunch vote– live

Senior red wall MPs Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith resigned from their party positions to vote in favour of amendments on Tuesday, while ministerial aide Jane Stevenson left her government job to back changes.

Jane Stevenson has now spoken to GB News about her desire to back Rishi Sunak’s plan.

She blasted the £400m scheme as Emperor’s new clothes.

She said she expected the bill to pass the house today but added: “The Home Secretary is wandering naked around this chamber waving a little treaty as a fig leaf to hide his modesty behind. I admit he doesn’t have much modesty to hide.”

She added Rishi Sunak’s authority was “in tatters”.

“The only thing the Tories all seem to agree on is that the scheme is failing. The prime minister is failing and they know it.”

She said only Labour would end hotel use and track asylum seekers lost in the system.

Speaking during the Bill’s third reading, the Home Secretary told the Commons: “We are united in the agreement that stopping the boats… and getting (the) Rwanda partnership up and running is of the utmost importance.

“And having a debate about how to get the policy right is of course what this House is for, that is our collective job, and I respect my good friends and colleagues on my side for putting forward amendments in good faith in order to do what they believe will strengthen the Bill.”

James Cleverly told the House of Commons this Rwanda bill ends an unambiguous message that if you enter the UK illegally “you cannot stay”.

He said: “The prime minister, the government and I have been clear that we will do whatever it takes to stop the boats and we have of course been making progress on that pledge, reducing small boat arrivals by over a third last year.

“But to stop the boats completely we need to deter people from making these dangerous journeys, from risking their lives and from lining the pockets of evil criminal people smuggling gangs.

“The new legally binding treaty with the government of the Republic of Rwanda responds directly to the Supreme Court’s concerns, reflecting the strength of the government of Rwanda’s protection and commitments.”

MPs voted 338 to 264, majority 74, to reject a Labour amendment that sought to require the Government to report to Parliament if a person previously relocated to Rwanda had been returned to the UK due to being involved in serious crime.

The much talked about ‘Five Families’ threat to Rishi Sunak’s leadership and Tory Rebellion has ended up looking something of a damp squib.

Sky’s Sam Coates said: “Effectively what it ended up looking like was a whole bunch of Tory MPs virtue signalling but in the end backing down. It’s a bit of a joke.

“Number 10 will be very relieved where we are this evening.

“But my sense in the last 48 hours is that the government might have won this, but it feels quite a lot of damage by the process.”

It came as memes flooded Twitter comparing scenes from The Godfather where the mobsters actually fold easily.

Sir Keir Starmer has written to the head of the civil service Simon Case to request the start of access talks designed to prepare officials for a possible change in government.

ITV News understands that the Cabinet Secretary received a letter from the Labour leader within the past few hours.

When asked if Labour were acting as if they would be in government by the end of the year, Sir Keir replied: “Yes.”

“Obviously, what I don’t want to do is be complacent – every vote has to be earned, but at the same time, we will not be forgiven if we’re not ready.”

A Labour amendment to the Bill was rejected 339 to 263, majority 76, which would have required the government to undertake a full impact assessment of the costs involved in removals to Rwanda.