East Lancashire MP Jake Berry was among around 60 Conservative MPs who rebelled against the Government in last night's Rwanda Bill amendment votes.

Mr Berry, who represents Rossendale and Darwen, backed two amendments to the bill - which aims to send a small number of asylum seekers to Rwanda to be processed - tabled by fellow Tories, defying the party whip in doing so.

Party chair under Liz Truss' doomed premiership, Mr Berry backed an amendment tabled by former immigration Robert Jenrick designed to "severely limit individual asylum seekers’ ability to appeal against being put on a flight to Rwanda".

He also voted for an amendment by veteran backbencher Sir Bill Cash which ", which aimed to ensure UK and international law cannot be used to prevent or delay a person being removed to Rwanda".

Both amendments were soundly voted down, mustering just 58 votes for Mr Jenrick's amendment and 68 for Sir Bill's, but were damaging for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as his party currently has a 56 seat majority, and among those defying him were now-ex deputy part chairs Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith.

The scope of the revolt would be more than enough to sink the legislation and overturn the Government’s working majority if it were repeated at the Bill’s final Commons hurdle expected on Wednesday.

Other notable rebels included ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman, ex- party leader Iain Duncan-Smith, and former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Blackpool South MP Scott Benton, who is currently suspended from the Tory party after being found to have breached lobbying rules - a decision he is appealing - also backed the amendments.

Under the Government’s Rwanda plan, migrants who cross the English Channel on small boats could be sent on a one-way trip to Rwanda rather than being allowed to try to seek asylum in the UK.

The legislation, along with a recently signed treaty with Kigali, is aimed at forcing the scheme through despite a Supreme Court ruling against it last year.