Anna Soubry urges Tories to put their country first and thwart a no-deal Brexit
The Conservative party is being infiltrated by former Ukip members bent on ousting sitting MPs they view as traitors over Brexit, ex-Tory MP Anna Soubry warned today.
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In a devastating attack on her former party, the Broxtowe MP said the Conservatives were now being controlled by anti-EU zealots in parliament and local associations were being taken over by a “purple momentum” – a reference to Ukip’s colour scheme.
Soubry, who as a business minister attended Cabinet meetings under David Cameron, urged current members of the government to put their country first and resign in order to stop a ‘no deal’ Brexit.
The comments came at a press conference to mark the resignations of Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen from the Conservative Party, with the trio joining the Independent Group of eight former Labour MPs which materialised this week.
Speaking in Westminster, Soubry said: “Overwhelmingly the majority of associations are being infiltrated by a nationally orchestrated entryism, blatantly designed to remove rebel MPs, who they label traitors.”
She added: “Even though the party chairman is on the traitors list, he’s failed to provide the firm political leadership that is demanded.”
Soubry centred many of her remarks on the Brexit negotiations, and appealed directly to those in the Conservative government opposed to ‘no deal’ to take drastic action.
She said: “I also hope it gives courage to members of the government who are deeply concerned about this no deal becoming a real possibility and it will give them the courage next week to do what frankly some of them should have done a long time ago and be true to what they believe and if they need to leave government and vote against the party line on Brexit because frankly if we have got the courage to do this, follow that – see it, grasp it.
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“Do the right thing by your country and start putting the national interest first.”