Influential 1922 Committee chair backs rebel immigration call

The swell of support continues for Nigel Mills’ amendment to the Immigration Bill which would most likely land the British government in court by trying to extend transitional controls on Bulgarian and Romanian migrants to 2018.

I have learned that Graham Brady, influential chair of the 1922 Committee, has now signed the amendment too, and the rebels organising behind it tell me they now have more than 40 backers. The list now includes a number of 1922 Committee executive members, including Nick de Bois, John Whittingdale, Charles Walker and Jason McCartney.

A number of Conservative MPs who have never rebelled before (yes, they exist) are considering signing the amendment because they are concerned that a failure on the government’s part to appear tough on this will undermine the good work that Theresa May has done on immigration as a whole, which they want to make good use of when they start knocking on doors for the European elections, and in 2015.