Pro-European Conservatives (representing Party orthodoxy of 50 years standing) have been abused and marginalised by the current Party leadership.

The expulsion of many prominent and distinguished Conservatives, like CGE President Ken Clarke, Chairman, Dominic Grieve, David Gauke and Philip Hammond, is deeply concerning and shows a lack of consistency of approach by many of those around the Cabinet table who built their careers on rebellion against Party policy on Europe.

The removal of the whip does not, however, make these people any less Conservatives in terms of their values and beliefs – for it is not them that have changed, but the party itself through the minority ERG membership takeover. Something that itself was facilitated by a weak and hubristic David Cameron.

The withdrawal from politics of a number of excellent Conservatives like CGE Vice Chairmen Alistair Burt and Richard Harrington, Margot James and Ed Vaizey is also a matter of much regret, not to mention concern.

The CGE disaffiliated from the Conservative Party before the 2016 Referendum in order not to be stymied by the then leadership’s ruling that no part of the Party could campaign during the Referendum.

The CGE’s leadership decided after the Referendum result that it would not re-affiliate for the foreseeable future so as to allow itself greater elbow room for campaigning. Most CGE members are long-standing Party members, but due to many resigning over the uncompromising stance over Brexit by the leadership, the Party membership was dropped as a CGE requirement as long as our members support traditional Conservative policies on Europe and are not members of another Party. A number have gone off to support other parties, but many remain and consider themselves independent Conservatives for now.

Even if the current Party leadership prevails and succeeds in ‘getting Brexit done’, the task for sensible Conservatives in campaigning for the closest practicable continuing relationship between the United Kingdom and our European partners will still be of vital importance.

We will not acquiesce in the Party becoming the de facto twin of the hard-right, nationalist Brexit Party. It is important that whatever the outcome of the election, a tranche of pragmatic Conservatives are returned to Parliament. Both the CGE Vice Chair Edward Bickham and I, believe Parliament will be immeasurably strengthened by the return of Dominic Grieve, David Gauke and Anne Milton etc.

The CGE is not institutionally endorsing specific candidates, but below is a list of some to whom you might consider lending your support. Many I know will command considerable enthusiasm from members.

It should make clear that none have been consulted before including them in the list. Nor is this an exhaustive list.

Many are members of the Conservative Group for Europe, others have a track record of having an internationalist, pro-European approach.

Dominic Grieve – Beaconsfield – Independent – https://www.dominicgrieve.org.uk/
Stephen Hammond – Wimbledon – Conservative – https://www.stephenhammond.net/
Caroline Nokes – Romsey and Southampton North – Conservative – https://www.carolinenokes.com/
Anne Milton – Guildford – Independent – https://www.annemilton.com/
Paul Masterton – East Renfrewshire – Conservative – https://www.paulmasterton.org.uk/
Luke Graham – Ochil and South Perthshire – Conservative – https://www.lukegraham.org.uk/
John Lamont – Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk – Conservative – https://www.johnlamont.org/
Steve Brine – Winchester & Chandler’s Ford – Conservative – https://www.stevebrine.com/
Robert Buckland – South Swindon – Conservative – https://www.robertbuckland.co.uk/
David Gauke – South West Hertfordshire – Independent – https://wwwvotedavidgauke.com/
Greg Clark – Tunbridge Wells – Conservative – https://www.gregclark.org/
Tom Tugendhat – Tonbridge, Edenbridge and Malling – Conservative – https://www.tomtugendhat.org/
John Stevenson – Carlisle – Conservative – https://www.johnstevensoncarlisle.co.uk
Nigel Huddleston – Mid Worcestershire – Conservative – https://www.nigelhuddleston.com/
Tobias Ellwood – Bournemouth East – Conservative – https://www.tobiasellwood.com/
Victoria Prentis – North Oxfordshire – Conservative – https://www.victoriaprentis.com/
Jonathan Djanogly – Huntingdon – Conservative – https://www.jonathandjanogly.com/
Victoria Atkins – Louth and Horncastle – Conservative – https://www.victoriaatkins.org.uk/
Damian Green – Ashford – Conservative – https://www.damiangreen.co.uk/
Bob Neill – Bromley and Chislehurst – Conservative – https://www.bobneill.org.uk/
Julian Smith – Skipton and Ripon – Conservative – https://www.juliansmith.org.uk/
Sir Peter Bottomley – Worthing West – Conservative – https://sirpeterbottomley.com/
Richard Graham – Gloucester – Conservative – https://www.richardgraham.org/
Alex Chalk – Cheltenham – Conservative – https://www.alexchalk.com/
Oliver Heald – North East Hertfordshire – Conservative – https://www.oliverheald.com/
Rebecca Pow – Taunton Deane – Conservative – https://www.rebeccapow.org.uk/
Gillian Keegan – Chichester – Conservative – https://www.gilliankeegan.com/
Alberto Costa – South Leicestershire – Conservative – https://www.albertocosta.org.uk/
Bim Afolami – Hitchin and Harpenden – Conservative – https://www.bimafolami.co.uk/
Karen Bradley – Staffordshire Moorlands – Conservative – https://www.karenbradley.co.uk/
Mark Garnier – Wyre Forest – Conservative – https://www.markgarnier.co.uk
Stephen Crabb – Preseli Pembrokeshire – Conservative – https://www.stephencrabb.com/
Mark Pawsey – Rugby and Bulkington – Conservative – https://www.markpawsey.org.uk/
Andrew Jones – Harrogate and Knaresborough – Conservative
Huw Merriman – Bexhill and Battle – Conservative – http://www.huwmerriman.org.uk/
Laura Farris – Newbury – Conservative – https://www.laurafarris.org.uk/
Laura Trott – Sevenoaks – Conservative
Vicky Ford – Chelmsford – Conservative – https://www.vickyford.uk/

Many of those who live in a hard right constituency, such as myself will be voting tactically. I am ‘doing a Heseltine’ and financially supporting and voting for the LibDem candidate. Sadly our local ERG Conservative, Sir John Hayes, who has long since gone feral and has an appalling voting record, consistently pushing for a no deal Brexit

Ultimately the future belongs to the young and Brexit takes away all of our freedoms and moves us to become an isolationist state. They therefore must register vote now and make their voices heard. We can then push for a peoples vote and stop this irrational madness.