Ashfield MP has no plans to join Reform Party after not supporting Government's Rwanda bill

The bill, which seeks to revive the Government's plan to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda was passed by 320 to 276 votes in the House of Commons on Wednesday night.

But Mr Anderson, along with Bassetlaw MP Brendan Clarke-Smith, did not support the Government – and both resigned as deputy chairmen of the party as a result.

Talk then arose that Mr Anderson was considering leaving the Conservatives and joining the Reform Party – which was formed by members of the former Brexit Party – and its leader Richard Tice had said he was welcome to do so.

But speaking to GB News, Mr Anderson said this was not the case.

He said: “The Conservative Party gave me a home when I was politically homeless, they financially backed me and wrapped their arms around me and I still the Conservative Party is the best party moving forward to get us out of this mess.

"It’s very kind of Richard, we’ve had a few dingos over the past few weeks, a few arguements, but he’s a good man, a great man, and I like him and class him as a friend.

"But I think the best way forward is a strong Conservative Party, with strong MPs like myself, and I will stand for the Conservatives at the next election.”

On not supporting the Government and resigning as deputy chairman, he added: “I didn’t think I could carry on in my role as deputy chairman of the Conservative Party when I fundamentally disagreed with the bill.

"I think most of it is sound but we needed it beefing up, we needed it strengthening and I couldn’t be in a position to vote for something I didn’t believe in.

“At the end of the day, people are still arriving on small boats and anybody who arrives in this country illegally has no right to claim asylum, no right to an appeal and, more importantly, no right to go missing in the country.

"I think this bill could work but it needs strengthening up and ultimately, that’s why I backed the ammendments and resigned.”