Rishi Sunak has been dealt a significant blow in his fight with right-wing MPs over his flagship Rwanda plan as two senior Tories resigned.
Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith dramatically quit as Conservative deputy chairmen to join 60 Tory MPs in backing controversial amendments being debated on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The bill seeks to revive the Prime Minister's plan to deport some asylum seekers to the east African nation - proposals ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court last year.
But a growing number of rebels have argued it does not go far enough and they want changes that will prevent legal challenges.
However MPs from the party's centre ground One Nation group are concerned that any hardening would risk breaking international law.
Rebel Tory MPs met at 5pm as they continue “urgent negotiations" on the changes.
