Tory migrant row deepens as MPs slam 'lefty virtue signalling' in 'national emergency'

The Conservative Party row over migration has deepened as Tory MPs slammed critics for "lefty virtue signalling". MP Jonathon Gullis branded the situation a "national emergency", saying that "every part of the UK" will need to play a part in solving the issue. He defended Rishi Sunak's "brave and bold" strategy to tackle the crisis in the UK.

This came after the Government last week unveiled a barge which will be used to house hundreds of migrants in Dorset.

The vessel, which will be used to ease the pressure on hotels, could accommodate 506 migrants in 222 bedrooms on the three-storey vessel, at a reported cost of £20,000 a day.

The use of hotels to house migrants is currently costing the taxpayers £6million per day.

The plan faced backlash from within the Tory party, with one senior Conservative MP branding the Prime Minister and Home Secretary Suella Braverman a "bunch of arrogant motherf***ers".

The MP told the Daily Express: "Suella is just dumping her problems onto local communities. She has overpromised and underdelivered.

"She cannot stop the boats and she is panicking. She basically has made all sorts of vacuous promises and now she is dumping her problems on local communities in an unelected and draconian way and it is causing social unrest and social disturbances."

The MP added: "She is riding roughshod over local communities in Dorset and Essex, trying to use draconian powers and not using MPs or local councils.

"It is causing absolute distress and social unrest in local communities in the leadup to local elections.

"The approach they have taken, they are not even consulting people."

When asked why the Government is taking this approach, she said: "They are a bunch of arrogant motherf***ers they have lied about what they said they would do."

But defending the plans, Mr Gullis said: "I think the move towards using barges as an alternative to hotels is something that is to be welcomed.

"I admire the Home Secretary and the Immigration Ministers' bravery in taking this decision. I do understand why colleagues would not want those barges in their patch, but ultimately this is a national emergency and will require every part of the UK to play their part."

He added: "Ultimately what I want to see happen is that we deport people either to their country of origin where it is safe to do so or to Rwanda."

Mr Gullis called for the Government to enact its Illegal Immigration Bill, unveiled by Suella Braverman earlier this year, warning that the PM will "face the consequences at the ballot box at the next election" if people do not see "fundamental change".

He said: "But lastly, we would not have to be making these decisions were it not for economic migrants choosing to pay thousands of pounds to criminal gangs to come to the UK."

"I think what the Government has done to date is bold and brave and what I want them to do is succeed in making sure this legislation is enacted.

"If people do not see a fundamental change as the PM has said he will do so the Conservative Party will face the consequences at the ballot box at the next election."

Meanwhile, fellow MP Marco Longhi described the barges as a "step in the right direction".

He told the Daily Express: "I think these barges, with all the mod-coms they have, are too luxurious. You will always have lefty virtue-signalling people or charities who will say that nothing less than a 5-star hotel is good enough.

"The problem is they, Labour and the SNP want more migrants. They don’t want any deterrence and they want to be able to signal their greater-than-thou altruism at everybody else’s expense.

"These barges are a step in the right direction because housing illegal economic migrants in hotels is bonkers."

He added: "In the real world, people with common sense who have to worry about paying their bills are outraged that their tax money is spent in this way.

"I’m glad the PM has made it a priority to stop the boats and I want to see people already here illegally removed asap."