Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh were caught in January this year as they attempted to flee Syria HUSSEIN MALLA/AP

Sajid Javid is facing a growing rebellion as Tory MPs, including ministers, criticise his failure to seek assurance that two British Islamic State fighters will not face the death penalty in the United States.

Mr Javid’s deputy, Ben Wallace, was forced to defend the government’s decision to drop a longstanding convention not to assist in criminal trials on capital punishment cases.

The row came after a leaked letter revealed that Mr Javid was preparing to provide evidence to the US about the crimes of Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh without seeking assurances that the men would not be put to death.

The British jihadis are believed to be members of the so-called Beatles gang who filmed the executions of Western citizens in Syria. The…