‘Out’ groups still seeking unity to qualify for funding

EUROSCEPTIC campaigners will today move nearer to setting up a single overarching “out” campaign to try to qualify for millions of pounds in state funding ahead of the European Union referendum.

Two of the three main “out” campaigns will launch a new umbrella campaign, to be called GO Movement, in a bid to present a united front to the electoral watchdog.

GO Movement is backed by Know.EU and Grassroots Out, which is supported by Tory and Labour MPs, and will have cross-party representation on its board.

However, the rival group, Vote Leave, has refused to join GO Movement and instead will seek to be registered by the Electoral Commission as the official “out” campaign on its own.

Under the referendum rules, both “in” and “out” camps must have a designated “lead campaigner”, which is then allowed to spend up to £7 million and post leaflets to voters for free.

However, lawyers have warned the Electoral Commission might rule that no “out” campaign qualifies for the cash if there is no clear official group.

This would see the “out” groups barred from spending more than £700,000 each during the final weeks of the campaign.

The “in” campaign already has a single unified group called Britain Stronger in Europe and is poised to win the designation from the Commission.

Peter Bone MP, a founder of Grassroots Out, said: “This is not a party political issue. We are working with people from Labour, Ukip, the Greens, the DUP – people of all different parties, coming together to come out of the EU. This is the most important vote people will have in their lifetime. I would urge everyone to make their minds up on what is in the country’s interest.”

Lord Jones of Birmingham, a former Labour trade minister and ex-directorgeneral of the CBI, also warned that the “out” campaigns had to merge or hand the victory to the “in” campaign. He said: “If you are going to launch a campaign you are unified or you are dead.”

However, a senior supporter of Vote Leave scotched any hope that the rival campaign might come together before the Electoral Commission has to make its choice.

Ukip MP Douglas Carswell told Sky News: “Vote Leave is going to apply for designation. I’m convinced [it] not only will get it [but] stands the best chance of convincing the 48 million voters to vote to leave. If you are asking, ‘Is there going to be a merger between Leave. EU and Vote Leave?’ no there isn’t.”

Former Tory leadership contender David Davis warned coverage of an “emergency brake” on benefits would act as an incentive to workers to head to the UK before a deal is implemented.