MPS who left the Tory party have spoken out against Brexit

The three former Conservative MPS who quit the party to join the Independent Group have been among the most vocal Tory opponents of a hard Brexit.

Heidi Allen

Elected to Parliament as MP for South Cambridgeshire in 2015, Ms Allen made a name for herself from the start for her willingness to speak out against her own government’s policies where she felt they were damaging.

She used her maiden speech in the Commons to denounce planned cuts to tax credits, warning they would force working families into debt. She later put pressure on then prime minister David Cameron to take in Syrian refugees.

After campaigning for Remain in the 2016 referendum, she became one of the strongest voices on the Tory benches against a hard Brexit

Anna Soubry

A journalist and barrister, Anna Soubry was elected to Parliament in 2010 as MP for Broxtowe in her home county of Nottinghamshire, winning the seat from Labour.

She served in David Cameron’s coalition administration in ministerial jobs in health and defence, where she was the first elected woman minister in the department. She moved to the Business Department after the 2015 election delivered a Conservative government.

Ms Soubry, 62, campaigned for Remain and said she and her family “wept” after the result was announced. She has 0 David Cameron faced attacks from ‘rebel’ MPS

repeatedly rebelled against the government over Brexit, and this month secured ministers’ agreement to show her economic advice on the risks of no-deal after tabling an amendment in the Commons.

Police launched an investigation last month after Ms Soubry was allegedly targeted for abuse by yellow jacket-wearing pro-brexit protesters outside Parliament.

Sarah Wollaston

A GP by profession, Dr Wollaston was the first Conservative candidate to be selected by open primary, with postal ballot papers sent to every voter in the Totnes constituency.

She was elected as MP for the seat, in Devon, in 2010 and quickly established herself as an independent-minded voice on the Conservative backbenches, turning down a job as a ministerial aide in order to be able to speak out. In 2011 she warned Mr Cameron that his health reforms could “destroy” the NHS and in 2013 she rebelled to vote against military action in Syria.

Dr Wollaston, 57, initially a supporter of Brexit, dramatically switched sides during the referendum campaign.