Two top Conservative resignations have sparked further divide within the Tory Party, as Party Chairmans Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith stepped down tonight.
As MPs in the House of Commons began debating amendments to the controversial Rwanda Bill, Anderson and Clarke-Smith submitted their letters to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
On Monday night, the Conservative members had confirmed their intentions to rebel against the latest move by Sunak to get his Rwanda migrant policy off the ground.
In the joint letter, the pair said two pieces of legislation have "already been thwarted" by a system that "does not work" in favour of the British people.
Matthew Stadlen says the resignation from Lee Anderson is "extraordinary"
GB News
They told the Prime Minister: "It is for this reason that we have supported the amendments to the Rwanda Bill. This is not because we are against the legislation, but because like everybody else we want it to work.
"This task is not an easy one, and we appreciate the fine balance that must be struck."
Reacting to the news, broadcaster Matthew Stadlen urged British voters to "not underestimate" the impact of the resignations.
He suggested that the double exit could bolster Richard Tice's Reform UK party into a stronger stead ahead of the general election this Autumn.
Stadlen told GB News: "Lee Anderson is electorally significant for the Conservatives.
"This will be delightful news for Richard Tice and Reform, because he was supposed to be the man keeping the hard right or far right at bay."
He added: "Now he's said 'I can't do this job anymore, I cannot be the deputy chair of Rishi Sunak's party'."
Stadlen branded the move by Anderson "extraordinary", and highlighted the impact on an already divided Conservative Party.
Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith have stepped down as Conservative Party Chairmen
GB News
Stadlen told host Michelle Dewberry: "Lee Anderson said when the government lost its case in the Supreme Court over whether or not Rwanda was a safe country, that the flight should take off anyway.
"You might not call that far right, but it's quite extraordinary for the Deputy Chair of a governing party to say this."
He continued: "This is a massive story. You cannot win elections if you are divided as a party. This is election year.
"We're just a few days into 2024 and they are tearing themselves apart."
