Anna Soubry takes over at Change UK as fledgling party splits

Broxtowe MP Anna Soubry has emerged as the new leader of Change UK after the fledgling political party lost six of its founder MPs.

Soubry, who quit the Conservatives to join the new group earlier this year, said she was “deeply disappointed” by the split, which comes after a dire performance for Change UK in last week’s European elections.

Former leader Heidi Allen and spokesman Chuka Umunna have also quit, along with former Labour MPs Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie, Joan Ryan and Ann Coffey.

Soubry said: “I’m deeply disappointed that at such a crucial time in British politics our former colleagues have made this decision. Now is not the time to walk away, but instead to roll up our sleeves and stand up for the sensible mainstream centre ground which is unrepresented in British politics today.

“Going forward, the Change UK MPs are as determined to fix Britain’s broken politics as we were when we left our former parties.

“Challenging the established broken political parties was never going to be easy. We registered as a political party to stand in the European elections but it was never our sole purpose. It is vital we continue leading the fight against a damaging Brexit, pressing for a People’s Vote and being prepared to revoke Article 50 in the face of a no-deal Brexit.

“But Brexit is not the cause of our broken politics, it is a symptom of it. So we now look forward to providing a real choice for the public in future elections and building our policies through the evidence-led, deliberative policy making project we were planning before the European elections.”

“We believe we have a responsibility to the candidates who stood for us, our 100,000 registered supporters and the near 600,000 people who voted for us, as well as a duty to the country, to stand up for those who feel the established parties do not represent them and who want a different choice and to change our broken politics.”

Soubry said that Change UK would now launch a “nationwide programme of deliberative democracy”.