Anna Soubry Tells Chancellor Why She Won't Rejoin The Conservatives

21 February 2019, 13:53

The Chancellor told LBC he'd welcome Anna Soubry back into the Conservatives. She told him why it's not going to happen.

Ms Soubry was one of three Conservative MPs to quit the party and join The Independent Group with eight Labour MPs yesterday.

This morning, speaking to Nick Ferrari, Chancellor Philip Hammond said: "We're saddened by their decision, but I very much hope that the values that we share in common - and they are very strong - will eventually come to the fore.

"When we've got through the Brexit process and we've been able to get back to a focus on domestic policy, we will be able to persuade them in due course to come back into the fold."

But hosting her own LBC show standing in for James O'Brien, he responded: "I don't think that's going to happen.

"I think that Brexit has absolutely fractured British politics and that includes the Conservative Party.

"Philip Hammond says, when we leave the European Union, somehow everything will be fine and we can get back to the domestic agenda. It isn't going to happen.

"And I'll tell you why it's not going to happen. Because we still haven't worked out what our final trading and security relationship is going to be with the European Union, especially trade. So if you think we're going to be leaving the European Union and that the end of the rows, the rows will continue and they'll continue in the Tory party."