RISHI WARNED: IT'S 'MAKE OR BREAK' ON SMALL BOATS

RISHI Sunak has been warned he must stop the small boats or lose any hope of winning the election.

- David Maddox

A senior Tory MP has bluntly told the Prime Minister he "must keep his word" and "do whatever is necessary" to tackle illegal migration.

It comes as a new civil war breaks out in the Conservative Party over UK membership of the European Convention on Human Rights and the jurisdiction of the foreign court in Strasbourg.

Former minister Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group, and many others on the right of the party say the time has come to end jurisdiction in the UK, particularly on immigration issues. But an influential group on the "liberal wet wing" of the party insists leaving the ECHR must not be countenanced.

Sir John said: "Illegal immigration and the small boats really are now the make or break issue for this party at the next election.

"Whenever I am approached by constituents and the public, the issue of immigration is asked about much more than the cost of living.

"That's how serious things are and the Prime Minister has to do what he said and 'do whatever is necessary'."

Home Secretary Suella Braverman, who has a lot of support in the Common Sense Group, is known to favour leaving the ECHR or ending its power on immigration issues.

It is understood at least eight Cabinet ministers and more than 70 Conservative MPs want Mr Sunak to pledge to leave the ECHR in the next election manifesto.

A ruling by European judges stopped planned flights to Rwanda with illegal migrants last year.