ONE Dorset MP rebelled against the Government in a vote on the Safety of Rwanda Bill last night (January 16).

Simon Drax, the Conservative MP for South Dorset, voted for an rebel amendment tabled by veteran Tory Sir Bill Cash (Con, Stone) which sought to disapply international law when naming Rwanda a ‘safe country’.

It came during a vote on the Government’s bill which aims to address legal concerns over the plan to deport asylum seekers to the African country.

Mr Drax was joined by the likes of Sir Desmond Swayne (Con, New Forest West), Jacob Rees-Mogg (Con, North East Somerset), former PM Liz Truss (Con, South West Norfolk) and deputy Conservative Party chairs Lee Anderson (Con, Ashfield) and Brendan Clarke-Smith (Con, Bassetlaw) – who resigned from their roles ahead of the vote – in backing the amendment.

Jane Stevenson, a parliamentary private secretary (PPS) in the Department for Business and Trade, also resigned after backing two amendments to the Government bill.

Meanwhile, Simon Hoare (Con, North Dorset), Chris Loder (Con, West Dorset), Michael Tomlinson (Con, Mid Dorset and North Poole), John Glen (Con, Salisbury) and Dr Andrew Murrison (Con, South West Wiltshire) all voted against the controversial amendment, supporting Rishi Sunak.

In total, 60 Conservative MPs backed the amendment (including two tellers), as well as two independents (Scott Benton and Andrew Bridgen), and eight Democratic Unionist Party MPs.

However, the amendment was defeated by 529 votes to 68.

Today, the bill will come before the Commons again, with a vote on the third reading when rebels could cause problems for the Government once again.