‘Train app’ Remainer plotters

REMAINER MPS used a “Trains and Buses” Whatsapp group to cross party boundaries and push for a second referendum, sources say.

The name was chosen so that prying eyes would assume a user of the messaging app was discussing transport issues.

Tories worked with Labour whips to secure legislation including the so-called Benn Act, which forced the PM to request a Brexit extension.

Trains and Buses has 35 members from all parties – and efforts to secure a new referendum could be revived in a hung parliament.

A key Conservative member stressed the importance of the close co-operation with Labours whips: “[All] our successes were when we managed to get the Labour whips office to come on board.”

Describing those in the group, the member said: “You had dissident

‘Trains and Buses matched the ERG’

Tories, you had the Labour Party, you had [Change UK], you had the Liberals, you had the Greens, you had Plaid, you had the SNP, and independent Labour as well.”

The influence of the pro-brexit European Research Group on the Tories has been acknowledged.

But the source saidtrains and Buses had a similar impact.

They said: “I think there’s no denying that the way in which no-deal was taken off the table is probably the biggest success.”

Around 20 members would meet in person but they “never leaked” and there was “a feeling that the Conservative whips office didn’t even know what was going on”.

Figures included Guto Bebb,

Sam Gyimah, Phillip Lee and Sarah Wollaston. Mr Bebb lost the Tory whip for his support for the Benn Act and former Conservatives Mr Gyimah, Mr Lee and Mswollaston are now standing as Lib Dems.

A Labour source: “People who had rivalries on other issues [were] working together in one cause and put aside those differences temporarily.”