Soubry quits Tories to join new group

Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry has quit the Conservative Party along with two colleagues to join the newly-formed Independent Group.

She is joined by Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen, all of whom have been critical of the Government’s stance on Brexit.

They join the eight Labour MPs who resigned from the Labour Party earlier this week.

Writing to the Prime Minister to inform her of their decision, they said: “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.

“Brexit has re-defined the Conservative Party – undoing all the efforts to modernise it. There has been a dismal failure to stand up to the hard line ERG which operates openly as a party within a party, with its own leader, whip and policy.”