Shropshire Star

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard hits out after three Tories quit over 'disastrous' Brexit

Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard has hit out at three former Conservative MPs who defected to the newly formed Independent Party.

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Mark Pritchard

Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston have joined eight former Labour MPs in the new party.

In a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May, the three said Brexit had "undone all efforts to modernise" the Conservative Party.

"We no longer feel we can remain in the party of a Government whose policies and priorities are so firmly in the grip of the ERG and DUP," they said.

"Following the EU referendum of 2016, no genuine effort was made to build a cross party, let alone a national consensus to deliver Brexit. Instead of seeking to heal the divisions or to tackle the underlying causes of Brexit, the priority was to draw up 'red lines'. The 48 per cent were not only sidelined, they were alienated."

Former minister Ms Soubry, the MP for Broxtowe, Health Select Committee chairwoman and Totnes MP Dr Wollaston and South Cambridgeshire MP Ms Allen said they could “no longer act as bystanders” as Mrs May continued with her Brexit strategy.

But Mr Pritchard said the three MPs were "not above the people".

He said: "These are three individuals who consistently refused to accept the referendum result.

"They are not above the people. No politician is. It is disappointing, but not a surprise".

Mrs May said she was “saddened” by the decision but insisted that “we are doing the right thing for our country” by delivering Brexit.

She added: “I am determined that under my leadership the Conservative Party will always offer the decent, moderate and patriotic politics that the people of this country deserve.”