Could the ‘five families’ tag finally tip the Tory right into ridicule?

An alliance of factions dissolved into feeble abstentions over the Rwanda bill this week. They have emerged weaker from the episode, as John Rentoul explains

Rebel leader who lost his cause: Mark Francois (PA Wire)

Mark Francois, the chair of the once-feared European Research Group (ERG), has now led his troops up the hill three times, only to march them back down again.

In July last year, Mr Francois provoked a backlash among members of the ERG when he prematurely went public with his support for Liz Truss in the leadership election triggered by Boris Johnson’s resignation. Other MPs in the group wanted to support Suella Braverman or Kemi Badenoch.

In October, Mr Francois addressed the TV cameras, flanked by other leading members of the ERG, to say that the group was unable to endorse either Rishi Sunak or Penny Mordaunt as the next leader.