Business minister Richard Harrington says 'treacherous' ERG MPs should leave Tory party
Thursday 14 February 2019 21:26, UK
A business minister has accused members of the European Research Group (ERG) of "treachery" over Brexit.
Richard Harrington suggested members of the eurosceptic group, which abstained on a government motion leading to a bruising defeat for the prime minister, should defect and join Nigel Farage's new party because they are not Conservatives.
Mr Harrington, MP for Watford, told The House magazine: "The prime minister has done a pretty good job of standing up to them [the ERG] up till now, but they were drinking champagne to celebrate her losing her deal and I regard that as being treachery.
"I read that Nigel Farage is setting up a new party called 'Brexit' and if I were them I'd be looking at that, because that seems to reflect their views more than the Conservative Party does.
"They should read carefully what that party's got to offer, because in my view they're not Conservatives.
"There are people who are very solid and stringent in their views and if I were they I would be looking at a party that seems designed for them - Nigel Farage's party."
The ERG was first formed in the Conservative Party in 1993, amid growing concern about the European Economic Community, through the Maastricht Treaty. Former members include Douglas Carswell, who became a UKIP MP.
Remain-supporting Mr Harrington admitted he knew it would give ERG members pleasure to see him and other ministers who voted to stay in the EU resign.
He said: "If we all resigned what would then happen?
"But we can't give in to a minority of a minority, which is what the ERG are."
He dismissed the so-called Malthouse compromise as a "regurgitated Canada-plus", saying it was "fanciful nonsense".
Mr Harrington has previously said he would be happy to be sacked from his ministerial role if Theresa May objects to him speaking out about the dangers of leaving the EU without an agreement on 29 March.
The ERG became a thorn in Mrs May's side again tonight after its members abstained on a motion which would have given the prime minister more support for her current Brexit negotiations, including an alternative to the controversial Irish backstop arrangement.
The members were reluctant to vote for it, despite it being non-binding, because it could also have been seen as giving support to taking the no-deal Brexit option off the table.
The ERG has faced growing criticism from other Conservative members, including Anna Soubry, who called them a "party in a party" and accused the prime minister of not standing up to them.