Conservatives for Britain is a Eurosceptic political pressure group within the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom.
The group's co chairmen are David Campbell Bannerman, a Conservative member of the European Parliament who had previously served as deputy leader of the UK Independence Party, and Steve Baker, a backbench Conservative member of parliament at Westminster. Other leaders include Nigel Lawson, the group's president, and Norman Lamont, both former cabinet ministers now in the House of Lords.
Formation The group was founded early in June 2015, shortly after the dust had settled on the British general election held on 7 May."50 Tories plot Britain's EU exit" in The Daily Telegraph online dated 6 June 2015, accessed 7 January 2015
On 8 October 2015, Conservatives for Britain announced its support for the Vote Leave campaign in the referendum on British membership of the EU, stressing in a statement the importance of establishing "a professional, mainstream cross party campaign that can fight the referendum if the EU fails to allow fundamental change"."Conservatives for Britain statement on the launch of the ‘Vote Leave’ campaign" dated 8 October 2015, accessed 8 January 2016
The Daily Telegraph reported on the new group's formation under the heading "50 Tories plot Britain's EU exit". The Guardian greeted it with the headline "Meet the new 'bastards' – the Tories' fifty strong awkward squad","Meet the new 'bastards' – the Tories' 50-strong awkward squad" in The Guardian online dated 8 June 2015, accessed 7 January 2016 referring to a famous outburst by John Major in the 1990s.
On 11 June, Campbell Bannerman was reported as predicting that most Tory members of the European Parliament would join the group, but he stressed that it was not at that point an "Out" campaign.Ian Silvera, EU referendum: 14 Tory MEPs 'show interest' in joining Conservatives for Britain in International Business Times dated 11 June 2015.
Aims In January 2016, the group's co chairman in the parliamentary Conservative party was Steve Baker, who described the group thus:
Supporters
President Nigel Lawson Vice Presidents Steve Bell Lord Blencathra Bill Cash MP Howard Flight Lord Forsyth Liam Fox MP Lord Hamilton
Daniel Hannan MEP Lord Howard of Rising Sir Gerald Howarth MP Bernard Jenkin MP David Jones MP Norman Lamont, Lord Lamont Julian Lewis Michael Ancram, Marquess of Lothian Emma McClarkin
Sir John Nott Owen Paterson MP John Redwood MPJosh Lowe, John Redwood MP and AntI-EU Camp Slam 'Emergency Brake' Plan dated 1/29/16 at Newsweek.com, accessed 21 February 2016 Viscount Ridley Lord Tebbit Co Chairmen Steve Baker MP David Campbell Bannerman MEP
See also Business for Britain Campaign for an Independent Britain Democracy Movement Grassroots Out (GO) Labour Leave Leave Means Leave Leave.EU Vote Leave
References
External links conservativesforbritain.org (official website)