AT least 29 Tory MPs want Rishi Sunak replaced as Prime Minister, according to a prominent backbencher.
While only 11 Conservatives rebelled against the Rwanda plan earlier this week, Tory MP Andrea Jenkyns has claimed more have submitted no confidence letters to the 1922 Committee.
The 1922 Committee, chaired by the MP Graham Brady, oversees the election of Conservative Party leaders and confidence votes in the sitting leader.
A confidence vote can be triggered if 15% of Conservative MPs, currently 52 MPs, submit no confidence letters to the committee.
Jenkyns (above) told GB News that “about 29” MPs had done so before the Rwanda vote and believed the number was growing, after the small Tory rebellion on Wednesday night and polling released the same evening which predicted electoral disaster for the party.
She said: “We've got to replace Rishi and even though he won that vote last night, I'm hearing that more letters are going in today, and I still think he's on borrowed time.
READ MORE: 'State-sponsored people trafficking': MPs approve Rwanda plan as Tory rebellion fails
"I'd be very surprised if he's taking us into the election. A couple of weeks ago I did a tally, it was about 29 MPs who told me, but that was pre this disastrous polling, what we've seen at the weekend and pre this Rwanda farce, what's happened the last 24 hours.
"So I'm sure that more has gone in since the weekend."
The Telegraph reported on Friday morning that a party insider from the rebel faction had claimed “several” more letters had been sent, citing Sunak’s refusal to accept amendments to the Rwanda bill.
Led by former immigration minister Robert Jenrick (above), a group of Tory hardliners attempted to have the bill changed to give ministers more powers to ignore international law.
They said the unamended bill would remain open to legal challenge and therefore would not result in asylum seekers being sent to Rwanda.
The Tory right believe the Government’s failure to reduce immigration levels and prevent asylum seekers from crossing the Channel on small boats is an existential threat to the party.
Despite 64 Conservative rebels – including Lee Anderson, who quit as deputy party chair over the issue – backing amendments earlier in the week, Sunak managed to avoid a full-blown revolt on Wednesday with just 11 voting against the bill.
It will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny and the Prime Minister has pleaded with unelected peers not to change the legislation.
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