Tory deputy chairmen resign party roles as government suffers significant rebellion on Rwanda bill – By Alexandra Rogers (Sky News) / Jan 16, 2024
Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith stood down from their party roles after they backed proposals to toughen up Rishi Sunak’s controversial Rwanda bill.
Two deputy chairs of the Conservative Party have resigned from their roles after they both supported rebel amendments to Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill.
Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith both said they would support proposed changes designed to toughen up Mr Sunak’s bill, which seeks to declare Rwanda a safe country to deport asylum seekers to.
Jane Stevenson, a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) in the Department for Business and Trade, resigned from her role after she supported two key rebel amendments.
On Tuesday night, MPs voted on a series of amendments to the Safety of Rwanda Bill, including one submitted by veteran Tory MP Sir Bill Cash, whose amendment sought to disapply international law with regard to Rwanda being a safe country.
