Umunna in new cross-bench parliamentary group to resist hard Brexit

A new all-party parliamentary group has been launched in a bid to resist an extreme Brexit.

The group, chaired by backbench Labour MP Chuka Umunna alongside former Tory minister Anna Soubry, has representatives of all of the pro-European parties in the commons.

Umunna said upon the launch of the APPG on EU relations: “The general election result was an instruction by the British people for parliamentarians to put their differences to one side and cooperate in the national interest.”

The group has the Green’s Caroline Lucas, Plaid Cymru’s Jonathan Edwards, Stephen Gethins from the SNP and Jo Swinson of the Liberal Democrats as members.

Pressure groups Open Britain, Vote Leave Watch, Best for Britain, British Influence and the European Movement are all backing the new group.

“We won’t accept MPs being treated as spectators in the Brexit process, when we should be on the pitch as active players representing our constituents,” the Streatham MP and former shadow business secretary Umunna added.

“We will be fighting in parliament for a future relationship with the EU that protects our prosperity and rights at work, and which delivers a better and safer world.”