Sunak rejects accusations from Tory defector that Conservatives are 'nationalist party of the right'

In a wide-ranging interview with ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston, the prime minister insisted his party represents 'the common sense majority position of the country' and rejected an asylum seeker returns deal with Ireland

Rishi Sunak says a Tory MP who defected to Labour has "made a mistake", as he batted off accusations that the Conservatives have become "the nationalist party of the right".

The prime minister insisted to ITV News Political Editor Robert Peston that his party represents the "common sense majority" after MP Dr Dan Poulter made the shock announcement yesterday that he's resigning from the Tory Party and crossing the floor.

In a wide-ranging sit down interview, Mr Sunak also categorically ruled out a migrant return scheme with Ireland or the EU, amid an escalating row over increasing numbers of asylum seekers travelling from the UK to Ireland.

On Sunday, Suffolk MP Dr Poulter announced he has quit the Conservatives in protest against the party's "rightward drift" and neglect of the NHS, saying he could no longer "look my NHS colleagues in the eye" as a Tory.

Mr Sunak told Robert Peston: "I just don't agree with him and I think he's made a mistake. I think it's the common sense majority position of the country..."

Asked by Peston if the majority position was to be on the nationalist right, the PM whittled off a list of issues his party are tackling that he believes the British public care about, such as his new reforms to the welfare system, climate change commitments and tackling illegal migration.

"That's not some, you know, niche thing," he said of dealing with small boat crossings in the Channel. "I think that is a massive concern of the British people and rightly so. I am fed up with what has happened and that's why I'm doing everything I can to grip it.

"These are all the mainstream positions of the country and I'm proud of what we're delivering."

The PM also insisted his Rwanda policy will work as a deterrent and is "compliant with all our international obligations", despite the Irish courts refusing to allow the return of asylum seekers to the UK as they said the PM's controversial scheme breaches international law.

Mr Sunak said: "I'm very confident that our scheme is compliant with all our international obligations and I make absolutely no apology for doing everything I can to tackle illegal migration."

The prime minister also doubled down on the government's stance that it rejects any bid by Ireland to "return" asylum seekers to the UK unless France agrees to do the same with boats crossing the Channel.

UK and Irish ministers are due to meet in London after Justice Minister Helen McEntee claimed the number of asylum seekers crossing from Northern Ireland is now “higher than 80%” due to a shift in migration patterns in recent months.

Mr Sunak has said the increase showed that the UK’s Rwanda plan is working as a deterrent - but Irish ministers are expected to discuss emergency legislation on Tuesday that would see asylum seekers returned to the UK.

The PM told ITV News "we're not interested" in a returns scheme.

"We're not going to accept returns from the EU via Ireland when the EU doesn't accept returns back to France where illegal migrants are coming from," he continued.

"Of course we're not going to do that. I'm determined to get the Rwanda scheme up and running because I want a deterrent.... And I'm confident that it will work."

Irish premier Simon Harris said on Sunday that Ireland won’t “provide a loophole” for other countries’ migration “challenges”.

Mr Harris also said that “close” collaboration and cooperation between the British and Irish governments was “not just desirable, but absolutely essential”.

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