The Parliamentary director of the Conservative Christian Fellowship says Tory MPs need to unite behind the Prime Minister, otherwise the party will suffer at the ballot box.

David Burrowes spoke to Premier after it emerged that the government's Rwanda migration policy has cost 240 million pounds so far, with an extra 50 million in the coming year. That's despite no asylum seekers being sent to the country to date.

Many MPs are said to be considering whether to vote against the policy when it comes before Parliament next week, fearing it could be seen as a confidence vote in the Prime Minister.

David Burrowes, a former Conservative MP, told Premier: "I think the issue for every politician is an issue of trust. When one says something, one has to follow through with it, not least in this fractious and challenging era of migration. It's all about delivery for the public. 

"It doesn't look seemly or orderly for different members of the parliamentary party to be engaged in internal warfare when, frankly, everyone wants people just to put their hands to the wheel to sort out this issue and make sure that promises are delivered."

Asked whether the Prime Minister's position would be compromised if MPs vote against the bill next week, Burrowes said: "It's a key pledge of the prime minister, and therefore it will be a challenge to his authority.
MPs need to look to be united and to have their arguments in private and come together to move this issue forward. It is a key issue for the Prime Minister; his authority is on the line, but I don't believe it's a confidence issue.

"The reality is that it would be incredibly foolish to have the taste to regicide because they won't be thanked or rewarded by the public for changing Prime Ministers yet again, so I just don't think that's going to happen.

"Yes, migration matters, and yes, they need to come to a collective view. But they've got to get behind the Prime Minister to deliver on the issues that matter to people, and no one will be ultimately thanked, not least at the ballot box, for changing prime ministers. "