Rishi Sunak is facing opposition from the Tories over plans to criminalize homelessness in a key crime bill this year.

The Prime Minister faces the risk of a backbench rebellion as MPs vote on the Criminal Justice Bill, which would give police powers to fine or transfer “nuisance” rough sleepers.

Dozens of MPs from the left and right of the Conservative Party are said to have warned Tory whips they would vote against the measures in the bill.

senior government source Tell era Ministers “suspended” the legislation while they negotiated with more than 40 expected rebels.

“The government is panicking about the scale of the rebellion because they know they will lose if they push it to the polls,” one person said.

The rebels added: “But we will not back down or give in. The ball is in the government’s court. They need to listen or they will despair.”

A minister refused to say on Monday whether he supported plans to criminalize rough sleeping.

questioner times radio Asked about the status of whether he would support the bill, Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “These are things that are outside my jurisdiction. I’m interested in seeing where the legislation goes and what the Prime Minister’s plans are.”

Asked whether it was right to arrest someone for what he called a rough sleeping nuisance, Mr Hollinluck said: “The most important thing is that we provide the resources to get people off the streets and there should be those places where people can go.

“I don’t think it should be… it shouldn’t be optional for people, if people can go somewhere other than the streets, then those people should be off the streets, they shouldn’t be lying on the streets. It’s important for us It’s not fair to others in towns and city centres.”

Current plans will give police and local authority staff new powers to order beggars to leave, while encouraging them to use accommodation services and mental health support.

A new offense will be created targeting criminal gangs who organize begging networks, with a government statement saying those “causing a nuisance on the streets” would be removed, singling out those “blocking shop doorways and People begging through cash machines.”

Homelessness charities have warned that government measures that replace the Vagrancy Act, which criminalizes all rough sleeping, will lead to “further criminalization” of homelessness.

Polly Neate, chief executive of charity Shelter, said: “Parliament must not enact this legislation. Instead of punishing people for being homeless, politicians should be working to stop them ending up on the streets.

“Everyone at risk of sleeping rough should have the right to suitable emergency accommodation and to end homelessness for good, investment in truly affordable social housing is essential – we need 90,000 homes every year.”

Fiona Colley, director of social change at Homeless Link, said she was “disappointed” by the plans.

“Homelessness is not a crime,” she said. “When the government committed to repealing the Vagrancy Act, our understanding was that people sleeping rough needed to be supported, not criminalized.

“We are therefore extremely disappointed to see that this new scheme will lead to the further criminalization of vulnerable people, rather than delivering constructive solutions that help people get off the streets for good.”