Sunak holds bizarre Downing Street press conference to insist Tories are united

Rattled Rishi Sunak bizarrely attempted to claim the Tories are "completely united" as he addressed the nation from Downing Street.

Holding a press conference after he survived another day of Conservative chaos over his Rwanda policy, the PM appeared at odds with reality. Instead, the Tory leader sought to lecture peers in the House of Lords over the Rwanda deportation policy, telling them: "It's now time for the Lords to pass this policy too".

He urged Lords in the upper chamber, who are responsible for scrutinising government legislation, to not "try and frustrate the will of the people". The Bill is expected to face serious challenges in the upper chamber, but Mr Sunak said in a short speech from No10: "The House of Lords must pass this Bill."

The under-fire Tory leader also insisted he is "sticking to the plan" amid reports Tory MPs had submitted letters of no confidence to the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs. Pressed on what he would say to colleagues who think that he is the "wrong man for the job", the Prime Minister told a Downing Street press conference: "I'm interested in sticking with the plan I set out for the British people because that plan is working.

"It is delivering real change, and if we stick with that plan, we'll be able to build a brighter future for everyone's families in this country and a renewed sense of pride in our nation." He added: "The Conservative Party is completely united in wanting to deliver for the country, cut their taxes and, crucially, to stop the boats."

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His comments come after months in-fighting in the Tory ranks and as his party sinks to depths not seen in the polls since the debacle of Liz Truss's short-lived government. At the final Commons vote on the Rwanda Bill last night, 11 Tory MPs, including ex-Home Secretary Suella Braverman and former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick voted against.

A further 18, including former deputy party chairman Lee Anderson - who dramatically quit on Tuesday - right-winger Jonathan Gullis and ex-PM Theresa May did not cast a vote. The PM has previously said it is his ambition to have removal flights leaving by the spring.

But Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, the former Business Secretary, said he thought it "unlikely" deportations would take place before the next general election, expected in the second half of 2024, after amendments to the Bill failed. "I think it will be very difficult to stop the boats without the strengthening that I was supporting," he told BBC Newsnight.

Sir Jacob was one of dozens of rebels who supported Mr Jenrick's amendment on Wednesday, which was designed to allow UK ministers to ignore flight-grounding emergency injunctions by European judges, but then backed the legislation at third reading.

Despite the Bill expected to face serious challenges in the upper chamber, the Home Office minister Chris Philp insisted the Bill should pass through the Lords "fairly fast" because it is relatively short. Speaking to Times Radio, Mr Philp added: "It's a pretty short Bill, which means it should be able to get through the House of Lords fairly fast."