Brexit news latest: Justine Greening and Dominic Grieve threaten to quit Tories over no-deal

Quit threats: Justine Greening and Dominic Grieve
AFP/Getty Images
James Morris21 February 2019
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Senior Conservatives Justine Greening and Dominic Grieve have said they are ready to quit the Tory parliamentary party if the Government keeps heading towards a no deal Brexit.

Both the Tories and Labour are braced for more departures after 11 MPs from both parties formed the new Independent Group this week.

Ms Greening, a Europhile who resigned from Theresa May's government last year, said she wouldn't be joining the Independent Group "for the moment" - despite having "considered" it.

But asked what she would do if Mrs May left the EU without a deal, the Putney MP said on Thursday: "I don't think I would be able to stay part of a party that was simply a Brexit party that had crashed us out of the European Union."

Her comments were echoed by Mr Grieve, who said on Wednesday night: "I would certainly cease to take the whip if I thought the government was about to take us into a no-deal Brexit. I am absolutely clear about that.

"It would be so disastrous for the country that I would have to use every opportunity available to me to stop it."

However, Mr Grieve made no mention of joining the Independent Group.

Meanwhile, Sarah Wollaston, one of the three Conservative MPs who have so far joined the Independent Group, said on Thursday she expected more defections "in the coming week" from both Labour and the Tories if Jeremy Corbyn did not commit to a second referendum and Mrs May failed to rule out a no-deal Brexit.

Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston defected on Wednesday, with more Tory MPs expected to leave Theresa May
Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images

She said: "If Jeremy Corbyn doesn't come out for a right to vote, I think very many Labour MPs will realise that the game is up and they will shift.

"And I think likewise on my side of the House if Theresa May doesn't take no-deal off the table. More of my colleagues will join us."

The Independent Group pictured on Wednesday
AFP/Getty Images

Conservative MP Jonathan Djanogly said he was "not considering resigning"and "nor has anyone approached me to do so" after media speculation suggested he could quit to join the Independent Group.

Bracknell MP Phillip Lee, who quit as a justice minister over Brexit and was named by Heidi Allen as a potential future defector to the Independent Group, was seen visiting Downing Street on Thursday.

Mrs May's spokesman was unable to give any information about his visit, saying only that the PM often met with MPs.

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