Now ex-chancellor Lamont condemns Soros Brexit plan
GEORGE Soros is acting against the ‘spirit of the law’ by funding opposition to the EU referendum result, Lord Lamont said last night.
The former chancellor pointed out that foreign donors were banned from funding either the Remain or Leave camps during the referendum campaign itself.
He argued that international donors such as billionaire financier Mr Soros should ‘keep away’ while the deal that will implement Britain’s Brexit decision is worked out.
Lord Lamont also criticised Tory MPs for supporting a proEU parliamentary group funded by the Best for Britain group, which wants to stop Brexit.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on EU Relations is co-chaired by Remain backer Anna Soubry and its aims have been supported by other MPs.
The APPG has been supported to the tune of up to £21,000 by Best for Britain, a group which is seeking a second referendum or a general election.
The group admits its campaign for a new referendum could cause Theresa May’s government to fall.
Best of Britain has, in turn, been pledged almost £400,000 from Mr Soros, the international financier known as ‘the man who broke the Bank of England’ for his actions in 1992 when the UK crashed out of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism. Lord Lamont said: ‘ Conservative Remainers say they don’t want to overturn the referendum result, but they seem to be financed by people who do.’
Mr Soros has pledged a total of more than £700,000 to groups working to water down or block Brexit.
But before the EU referendum vote on June 23, 2016, the American financier would have been unable to give any money because of Electoral Commission rules.
Lord Lamont said the rules should be no different now, because it was still in doubt that the result of the referendum will be honoured.
‘It seems to me very dubious for foreign donors to be financing a campaign to overturn a democratic referendum result in this country,’ he said.
‘During that referendum, foreign contributions were illegal, but Mr Soros seems determined to go against the spirit of the law. All foreign donors should keep away.’
Tory Leave supporter Nadine Dorries demanded that Remainers from her party distance themselves from Best for Britain.
It follows reports that the group is planning a marketing blitz aimed at persuading MPs and the public to reject Mrs May’s eventual Brexit deal.
The aim of the plan, as reportedly outlined by its chairman Lord Malloch-Brown at a dinner last week, was to force either a second referendum or an election, which could see the defeat of Mrs May.
As well as being co-led by Miss Soubry, the APPG’s activities have also received the support of Europhile Conservatives Ken Clarke and Antoinette Sandbach.
Last night Miss Dorries said: ‘I would question why any Tory MP would want to be associated with the tainted money provided by a man who wants to topple Theresa May. All Tory MPs linked to this APPG have questions to answer about their intentions and tactics.’
The stated aim of the APPG is ‘to make the case in public and in parliament for a close relationship with the EU’. This means, therefore, support for staying in the single market and customs union.
Its co-chairmen are former Labour leadership contender Chuka Umunna, Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson, Green leader Caroline Lucas and Miss Soubry.
Last month the APPG wrote an open letter demanding that the Treasury reveal full details of its impact papers on leaving the EU.
The APPG has received between £ 19,500 and £ 21,000 from Best for Britain, which acts as the group’s secretariat.
The APPG took between £1,500 and £ 3,000 from the European Movement, which provides social media and correspondence support. Mr Soros has pledged £182,000 to the European Movement.
The APPG also received between £3,000 and £4,500 from anti-Brexit group Open Britain for media management and research support.