Tory rebels demand Rishi Sunak ignores the ECHR over migrants arriving on small boats

TORY rebels confronted the Prime Minister yesterday demanding he ignores the European Court of Human Rights over migrants arriving on small boats.

Rishi Sunak hosted dozens of hardline Conservative MPs at an awkward breakfast meeting as he sought to calm tensions ahead of next month’s local elections.

The Government’s Illegal Migration Bill will return to the Commons next week with ministers preparing a number of concessionary amendments to the new law.

The right-wing members of the Common Sense Group of backbenchers want it toughened up so Strasbourg rulings can be “disregarded”.

They also want X-ray checks on small boat arrivals who claim to be under 18.

Meanwhile, other MPs from the left of the party want the bill to include a clear annual target for refugees welcomed to the UK via safe and legal routes.

Mr Sunak urged the rebels not to derail the legislation.

He pleaded: “We have to show actual delivery on this. We need to pass the legislation and we need to get on with it.”

He insisted it is “the strongest bill on this topic parliament has ever seen” adding it is “novel and contentious but the right thing to do”.

The showdown came as new figures showed 5,049 illegal migrants have arrived across the Channel this year, but at a slower rate than 2022.

By last April, more than 6,300 had arrived. Some 113 were detained from three boats on Monday.

Last night, Borders Minister Robert Jenrick met rebels Sir John Hayes, Danny Kruger, Miriam Cates and Jonathan Gullis to seek a compromise to avoid direct attempts to amend the bill next week.

One leading rebel told Trending In The News: “The PM has pinned his colours to the mast on this, so we are hoping to help him retain his credibility.”