Sir John Hayes outlines the scale of net migration to Britain

       Allies of Home Secretary Suella Braverman have said she is "a lone voice in the Cabinet" resisting plans to open the doors to thousands more visas being issued to India in exchange for a work deal.

       Senior Tory MPs have said that the issue threatens to tear Rishi Sunak's fragile government apart next week when MPs return to Parliament on Monday.

       It is understood that the influential rightwing Common Sense Group founded by former minister Sir John Hayes is set to send a letter to the Prime Minister warning that its membership of more than 50 Conservative MPs will oppose any moves to give India access to thousands more visas.

       One Common Sense member has made it clear to Express.co.uk that "patience is worn out" on migration "both legal and illegal" with record numbers of people entering the country.

       "We were supposed to take back control of our borders with Brexit," the MP noted.

       READ MORE: India 'demands more visas for nurses and care workers as price for trade deal'

       Rishi Sunak is facing divisions over India visas (Image: Getty)

       But more even more damaging is a threatened split in the Cabinet over the issue.

       According to one MP, Ms Braverman, the Home Secretary, is "leading the resistance to the plan...but is increasingly a lone voice".

       The MP added: "She is up against it because there are so many liberal wets in the Cabinet."

       In particular, Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch has been accused of "capitulating to India's demands" on visas "and not being robust in her negotiations".

       It is understood that MPs who backed her in last year's leadership contest have warned "she is finished" in regards to another leadership bid if she does not have a change of heart.

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       Jeremy Hunt is said to support more legal migration (Image: Getty)

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       The MP noted: "[Chancellor Jeremy] Hunt of course is very much in favour of more migration so he is happy with the plan.

       "He has the wrong-headed view that more migration equals more economic growth, which is nonsense of course."

       His allies include Education Secretary Gillian Keegan who has been pushing increased numbers of student visas and opposing attempts for visas not to be granted to foreign student's families.

       Another MP said: "The Home Secretary is on the side of the majority of the party and voters so we really need to make our voices heard."

       This is not the first time Ms Braverman would have been in a tussle over increased work visas.

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       According to friends, when she resigned from Liz Truss' short-lived government it was because Ms Truss had wanted to allow thousands of extra work visas for India in exchange for "a rotten trade deal".

       The problems came to a head when it emerged Ms Braverman had attempted to share a document with another MP Sir John Hayes but accidentally sent it to the office of a different Parliamentarian.

       As one ally of Ms Braverman put it: "Truss was going to open the floodgates to migration from India but we weren't even getting tariffs removed from whisky."

       An MP noted: "What is being proposed now is not much different. We cannot just give India everything it wants for very little in return, especially on an immotive issue like migration."

       India is pushing for more student visas and work visas for carers and nurses.

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