James Cleverly makes defiant video in Essex on Rwanda Bill

       Rishi Sunak has suffered a major blow to his authority after Lee Anderson and fellow Red Wall MP Brendan Clarke-Smith quit as chairmen over the Rwanda Bill.

       The pair took part in a rebellion in a bid by the right of the party to toughen the Bill up with many believing it will fail to get the flights of illegal migrants off the ground.

       Mr Clarke-Smith had earlier told Express.co.uk that he and Mr Anderson had been told by the Chief Whip Simon Hart that they would be sacked if they voted against the government even though they are not ministers.

       They would later be joined by Wolverhampton North East MP Jane Stevenson who resigned as a Parliamentary Private Secretary.

       Both Anderson and Clarke-Smith have been strong voices in demanding strong measures to stop illegal migration.

       They were among 68 MPs, including 60 Conservatives, who defied the government on an amendment laid by former Home Office Minister Robert Jenrick and veteran Brexiteer Sir Bill Cash.

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       READ MORE: Rishi Sunak suffers major Tory MP rebellion as 68 back hardline Rwanda amendment

       Rishi Sunak has suffered a blow after losing two Deputy Chairmen (Image: Getty)

       Joint resignation letter from Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke Smith pic.twitter.com/l4Mc7nuxQP

       — Sam Coates Sky (@SamCoatesSky) January 16, 2024

       While the amendment was overwhelmingly defeated with the support of Labour, the Lib Dems and SNP Mr Sunak was left bruised by the size of the rebellion and the loss of two key figures from his campaign team.

       In a joint statement, Mr Anderson and Mr Clarke-Smith said that they were elected in 2019 "to get Brexit done and take back control".

       They said that they "commend" Mr Sunak's work on trying to tackle illegal migration but insisted that the Bill needed to be strengthened.

       They said: "Our support for this party remains as strong as ever and that is why we are so passionate to make this legislation work."

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       Lee Anderson on a campaign trip with the PM (Image: Getty)

       Mr Anderson, a former miner and Labour activist, and Mr Clarke-Smith, a former teacher, were both elected in 2019 and became leading figures among Red Wall MPs on the right of the party.

       Both have demanded tougher action against illegal migration and been strong supporters of Brexit.

       Mr Clarke-Smith, he MP for Bassetlaw, only became Deputy Chairman in December and has left his post swiftly.

       He had hosted Mr Sunak for a campaign visit shortly after his controversial reshuffle and had been wooed by the Prime Minister to take a key campaigning role.

       Mr Anderson became deputy chairman in the first reshuffle early last year and has been a popular figure among activists.

       In a government missing big figures from the right of the party and working class MPs in ministerial roles, their loss is a blow to the Prime Minister.

       Reform UK leader Richard Tice immediately tweeted an invitation for them to in his party instead.

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       He told GB News: “I can confirm that Lee and Brendan would both pass our strict vetting process,.

       However, Mr Tice and Mr Anderson have clashed in the past over the latter’s claim he was offered “a lot of money” to defect, which was subsequently denied by Mr Tice.

       Mr Tice has made claims that he is in talks with Conservative MPs about crossing the floor to his party before.

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