Everyone is saying the same thing about Lee Anderson after he joins Rwanda bill rebellion

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson, dubbed “30p Lee” over his shocking comments about food bank users, is being ridiculed online once again, amid reports he could leave his role of deputy chairman of the Conservative Party over his support of rebel amendments to the Rwanda bill.

Anderson, whose previous contributions on the subject of immigration include telling asylum seekers to “f*** off back to France” if they complain about being housed on the Bibby Stockholm barge in Dorset, and suggesting that they could be placed on “an island in the Orkneys” (it’s actually just ‘Orkney’), confirmed on Monday that he had signed and will vote for “the Cash and Jenrick amendments” to the government’s controversial legislation.

The amendment tabled by Bill Cash concerns the “notwithstanding” clause of the bill around the proposed law not being affected by human rights laws, and “specifically excludes the legislation” raised in the Supreme Court ruling which found the initial policy to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was unlawful.

As for the 15 amendments tabled by Robert Jenrick – who resigned as immigration minister last month over the Rwanda plan – those cover ensuring the Human Rights Act 1998 is “fully disapplied” for the bill; treating Rule 39 interventions from the European Court of Human Rights (which stopped the first Rwanda flight) as “optional” rather than “binding”; restricting court reviews and “suspensive claims” against a person’s removal; and limiting such “suspensive claims” to “rare situations where there is bad faith on the part of decision-makers in relation to decisions as to medical fitness to travel”.

Given his top position in the Conservative Party, there’s already speculation that Anderson – along with fellow deputy chairman Brendan Clarke-Smith (yes, the one he fed baked beans to on GB News) – could either resign or be sacked as a result of his planned rebellion against the party line.

The Tory whips’ office has said it’s untrue that Anderson had been assured he could support the amendments without losing his job.

As for Rishi Sunak, he didn’t comment on whether he would sack the deputy chairman, instead claiming his party is “completely united on wanting to stop the boats”.

The Mirror reports he said: “We share the frustration of the British people about this situation … I’m determined to get this new legislation onto the statute book so we can get our Rwanda scheme up and running.

“Of course I continue to talk to all my colleagues, but I know everyone’s frustrated. I’m frustrated about the situation ... I'm confident that the bill we’ve got is the toughest that anyone’s ever seen, and it will resolve this issue once and for all.”

All of this has got social media buzzing about whether this means a very public resignation or sacking for the Nottinghamshire MP will take place this week, and the ridicule has already started:

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill’s committee stage began in the Commons on Tuesday.

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