VICTORY FOR PM:MUTINY OVER RWANDA PLAN FADES AWAY ...FOR NOW

Rishi sees off rebellion and insists he can 'deliver' on 'Stop the Boats' pledge

- Sam Lister

A DEFIANT Rishi Sunak saw off a rebel plot to defeat his flagship Rwanda plan after a tense showdown in Parliament.

The Prime Minister's deportation Bill passed its first Commons hurdle despite a group of hardline Conservatives abstaining from the vote at the last minute.

However a source last night told the Daily Express the Bill "will be killed" next month unless there are amendments.

Mr Sunak pushed ahead with the vote after a 24-hour charm offensive won over enough wavering MPs to get a comfortable majority of 44.

He said: "The British people should decide who gets to come to this country - not criminal gangs or foreign courts. That's what this Bill delivers. We will now work to make it law so that we can get flights going to Rwanda and stop the boats." Home Secretary James Cleverly said of the move: "Parliament has spoken. We must be able to choose who comes to our country - not criminal gangs." But a Tory rebel source last night issued a stark warning to the PM, telling the Express: "This Bill has been allowed to live another day.

"But without amendments, it will be killed next month. 

"It's now up to the Government to decide what it wants to do." Just minutes before voting began, right-wing factions with concerns about the legislation announced they would abstain instead of vote against the proposal.

But the faction leaders warned they will try to torpedo the legislation in its final stages unless significant changes are made.

Mark Francois, chairman of the European Research Group, said if the Bill remains unamended "we reserve the right to vote against it at third reading".

But centrist MPs have indicated they will oppose the plan if they believe it has been toughened up too much.