Rightwing Tory MPs criticise Rishi Sunak’s ‘weakness’ over family visas U-turn – as it happened

Rishi Sunak is coming under pressure from rightwing Tory MPs over U-turn. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/AFP/Getty Images

2.14pm GMT

Early afternoon summary

• Rightwing Conservatives have expressed concern at the decision to U-turn on more than doubling the minimum salary needed for British nationals bringing foreign relatives to the UK, in yet another sign of the party’s continued splits on migration.

• Fears that the UK has fallen into recession have been heightened after official figures were revised to show that the economy shrank slightly in the July to September period.

• Rail fares in England will rise by 4.9% in March after the government capped the planned increase, although the cost of tickets is still expected to rise faster than inflation.

Rishi Sunak leaving Downing Street this afternoon. He is heading for his constituency, Richmond in Yorkshire, where he is spending Christmas.
Photograph: James Manning/PA

1.48pm GMT

Richard Tice, leader of Reform UK, the new version of the Brexit party which is challenging the Tories from the right, has claimed that the family visa threshold U-turn shows that James Cleverly, the home secretary, “lied” about his immigration plans.

Tories lied again on reducing immigration@JamesCleverly misled House of Commons, he promised family income threshold would rise to £38,700 next Spring. Now lowered to £29,000

Only @reformparty_uk will stop mass immigration

Tories lied again on reducing immigration@JamesCleverly misled House of Commons, he promised family income threshold would rise to £38,700 next Spring. Now lowered to £29,000

Only @reformparty_uk will stop mass immigration https://t.co/p7vp0tglNV

— Richard Tice 🇬🇧 (@TiceRichard) December 22, 2023

Updated at 1.49pm GMT