Nigel Farage has stuck the knife into Tory rebels after 37 MPs abstained on Rishi Sunak’s Safety of Rwanda Bill.
Farage, 59, returned to GB News’ studio tonight after spending a few weeks in the I’m A Celeb jungle.
The ex-Ukip leader joined former MEP colleague Richard Tice to discuss events missed during his trip Down Under.
Farage said: “I like Mark Francois as a person, the ERG boss, but like the grand old Duke of York, he’s marched them the troop up to the top of the hill and marched them down again.”
WATCH NOW: Nigel Farage takes a swipe at Tory rebels for abstaining on Rwanda vote
He added: “How can you one day argue that what’s being done will make no blooming difference and then the next day effectively go along with it by just sitting on the benches abstaining and allowing the Government to win?
“The really big question, as you say, is will this make any difference anyway and the answer is absolutely not.”
Farage, who lamented Sunak for failing to stop migrants crossing the Channel, described the measures as merely “fiddiling while Rome burns”.
Despite the Prime Minister winning yesterday’s second reading by 313 votes to 269, Sunak could run into trouble further down the line.
The so-called “five families” on the Tory right could push amendments to strengthen the Safety of Rwanda Bill.
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Speaking before the division in the House of Commons, the Rayleigh & Wickford MP also said: “The Prime Minister has been telling colleagues today he is prepared to entertain tightening the bill, with that aim, at the committee stage, we will aim to table an amendment which would we hope, if accepted, would materially improve the bill and remove some of its weaknesses.
“We very much hope those amendments will be accepted – if they are not and the bill remains unamended, in that way again, collectively, we reserve the right to vote against it at third reading, that is collectively what we have decided.”
The “five families” also include MPs from the New Conservatives, Common Sense Group, Northern Research Group and Conservative Future.
In a warning to the Prime Minister, Common Sense Group chairman Sir John Hayes said: “We will consider what the Government do next, and what they do next will determine what we do next and that means the third reading of the Bill.”
Miriam Cates, a leading MP from the New Conservatives, added: “We all agree that the Bill is defective as it is. We don’t believe it will stop the boats; there are too many opportunities for legal challenges.
“But we do support the principle of the Bill to stop the votes and do what we promised to the electorate.
“We have agreed to act collectively to not support the Bill at this stage but be open to amendments from the Government’s that would strengthen the Bill significantly at committee stage and third reading.”
However, liberal-leaning Tory MPs could look to torpedo any efforts to harden the Bill.
The One Nation Caucus, who voted for the second reading, remain concerned about any future amendments which could mean the Government breaches the rule of law and its international obligations.
The group of around 100 MPs will be advised to oppose such amendments.
