The Tories rebel against Channel migrants with ex-chancellor George Osborne returning to Gary Lineker

Rishi Sunak is facing a revolt from senior moderate Conservatives over his hardline immigration policy ahead of tonight’s key House of Commons vote.

Former Chancellor George Osborne and former Immigration Minister Caroline Knox both criticized the move to treat immigrants from the Channel and The discourse on the illegal immigration bill.

Ms Knox said she would defy the party whip and refuse to support the bill tonight, warning that it “criminalizes” pregnant women and children, and does not act as a deterrent.

Former Home Secretary Priti Patel is also reported to have fears that the bill will lead to unaccompanied children and families being detained and then deported.

Meanwhile, Mr Osborne has criticized the government’s rhetoric on immigration as he has expressed support for BBC presenter Gary Lineker.

“I personally think that some of the language used on immigration by some – but not all – Conservatives is unacceptable,” he said in remarks to Channel 4’s The Andrew Neil Show.

Osborne added: ‘I have a lot of sympathy for Tim Davie, the managing director, who is trying to maintain the BBC’s neutrality in a partisan age. But it all ended up being a mess.

The government’s plans, announced last week, would see migrants who arrive by unauthorized means deported and banned from returning for life.

Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat would only be eligible for asylum in a “safe” third country, such as Rwanda.

The powers are given to detain immigrants for 28 days without recourse to bail or judicial review, and then indefinitely for as long as there is a “reasonable prospect” of removal.

It also places a duty on Home Secretary Soella Braverman to remove illegal immigrants and will “radically narrow the number of appeals and appeals that can suspend deportation.”

Ms. Knox, who is now chair of the Women and Equality Commission, has vowed to rebel against the measure when it gets its second reading tonight.

She also voted against the Citizenship and Borders Act last year.

Her dramatic intervention came just hours after the Tory leader said the government’s immigration plan put children’s safety at risk as a row threatens to explode within the Conservative Party.

Ms Knox told the Radio Times: “I can’t vote for this. I didn’t vote for another, and I won’t vote for this.”

I may be an outlier in my party, but I believe we have an absolute duty to treat people humanely to keep people safe. I have an absolute dread of the possibility.

What worries me primarily about this bill is that it removes protections for pregnant women, and families.

I am deeply troubled by the prospect of a policy that seeks to criminalize children, pregnant women and families and deport them to Rwanda.

I don’t see what this legislation would do to act as a deterrent.

Earlier, Warwickshire County Council Conservative leader Izzy Secombe said local authorities should “jump through hoops” to create safe shelters for children.

The Home Office was criticized for failing to properly communicate with councils about the immigration plan. “We are putting people in precarious situations,” Secombe told the Radio Times.

This cannot be good for us as a society. I wish we had better communication with the Home Office because it is so bad. We who on Earth have to deal with these issues.

Her comments came hours after the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, called the bill “immoral and incompetent”.

He said, “The proposals are not viable but would limit access to support for many lawful refugees and victims of modern slavery, even without the dignity of having their case heard.”

The ban on holding children arriving in small boats in detention centers could be overturned. Senior Conservatives, including former government minister Robert Buckland, condemned the plans as “draconian”.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on Sunday did not rule out the possibility of children being detained under the government’s latest asylum plans.

He said “special arrangements” would be made for the children, but it would not be based on whether the government would actually overturn the ban – imposed by the Tory-Liberal Democrat coalition government – on minors held in connection with immigration cases.