Tony Blair backs Remoaner 'hit list' of key Brexiteers

Tony Blair backs Remoaner 'hit list' of key Brexiteers



Three senior Tories dramatically quit a pro-EU pressure group today after it issued a 'blatantly partisan' hit list of MPs for ousting in the snap election.

The tactic, which has been backed by Tony Blair, will see Europhile activists flood 20 constituencies where sitting MPs were said to favour 'Brexit at all costs'.

Politicians in the cross-hairs include senior Tory Iain Duncan Smith and Labour's Kate Hoey.

But the plan unravelled as senior Conservatives Anna Soubry, Nicky Morgan and Dominic Grieve have resigned from the Open Britain group in protest - complaining that the campaign is little more than an attempt to get Blairites elected.

Former minister Ms Soubry pointed out that her Tory colleague Nicola Blackwood was on the list despite having supported Remain in the referendum battle.

'I am leaving Open Britain, who have chosen to campaign against excellent One Nation Conservatives like Nicola Blackwood. This sort of blatant partisanship further divides our country when we must all come together,' she wrote on Twitter.



A joint statement released by Ms Soubry with ex-Cabinet ministers Mrs Morgan and Mr Grieve said: 'As long standing Conservative Party members and MPs it is untenable for us to play any further role in an organisation, such as Open Britain, which is advocating campaigning against Conservative MPs or candidates.'

The anti-Brexit push is being organised by the Open Britain, European Movement and Britain for Europe groups. It comes amid desperate efforts to limit Theresa May's negotiating position in divorce talks with the EU.

The Prime Minister has urged voters to give her a strong mandate so she can drive a hard bargain with Brussels.

The pro-European groups will draw on their database of 600,000 activists to target Brexiteers and support Europhile MPs like Labour's Mary Creagh, Conservative Neil Carmichael and Green MP Caroline Lucas.

Labour former Cabinet minister Lord Mandelson, an Open Britain board member, said: 'As a former European trade commissioner, I have seen such negotiations from the inside.



'For Britain to get the best possible trade deal, it is totally counter-productive for Theresa May to go into them with a rigid set of red lines.'

Mr Blair, who has already hinted that he could make a return to frontline politics despite dire ratings with the public, urged Opposition parties to paint the election as about Brexit.

'The purpose of the various interventions in the election by European campaigns, which I fully support, is.. to make sure that voters know where candidates stand on the Brexit issue before they cast their vote, whether Tory, Lib Dem or Labour.



'This campaign against “Brexit at any cost” is cross-party, as it should be, and, indeed, some people may, on the back of this, support tactical voting. But that is not my objective.'

A spokesman for Open Britain said: “It is understandable that during an election campaign, political differences between members of different parties become magnified.

“Open Britain represents activists from all political persuasions who want to campaign against a hard Brexit and for a continued close relationship with Europe.

“As a grassroots organisation, we’ve had thousands of emails from our supporters asking how and where they should campaign during the General Election and we are trying to direct them to where they can make the biggest difference in the fight against hard Brexit.

“The Government have made this into a Brexit election, so it would be surprising if Open Britain’s volunteers did want to get involved.

“There is no way of getting involved in an election like this, without campaigning for or against members of one party or another, so it was always going to disappoint some within a cross-party organisation.

“Our key seats list will continue to include support for those willing to campaign against hard Brexit from across the political spectrum.'

Meanwhile, Labour has attempted to clear up its muddled position on Brexit today - pledging to make retaining the benefits of the single market and customs union a top priority if it wins on June 8.

The party would guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in the UK on day one of taking power without protections in place for Britons in Europe.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer called for the Government's existing negotiating plans to be scrapped.

A Bill to transfer relevant EU laws to Britain would also be replaced with legislation that would protect employment and consumer rights as well as environmental protections when powers are repatriated.

The party insisted that failing to reach a deal with Brussels is not an option and will promise to give Parliament a meaningful vote on the final agreement.

But Sir Kier did admit that freedom of movement cannot be kept in place after we leave the EU.