Byline Times reveals the membership and ministerial backing of the powerful group of ‘hard Brexit’ Conservative MPs
A Labour MP has called for a Cabinet Office investigation into the European Research Group (ERG), as a Byline Times investigation reveals the group has received £230,000 in taxpayer-funded expenses since 2016 – including £70,000 last year.
Once described as “the most influential [research group] in recent political history”, the ERG is part-funded by subscriptions from MPs’ office budgets – with each MP paying £2,000 a year out of the public purse for access to briefings and materials.
The ERG was seen as a driving force behind the arguments for a hard Brexit, as well as an organisational base for hard-right MPs through its WhatsApp group, meetings, and members’ media appearances.
It was described as “instrumental” in defeating then Prime Minister Theresa May’s efforts to find a compromise deal and subsequent pressure that forced her to resign. Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg boasted at the time that the ERG was “the opposition” to May and her Chequers agreement.
According to filings to the expenses watchdog, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), the ERG has 35 members in 2020-21. Byline Times’ analysis also reveals that, since 2016, 64 Conservative MPs have been paying members of the group.
These include: Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove (2017-18); Home Secretary Priti Patel (2018-19; Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid (2016-17); Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt (2016-17); Attorney General Suella Braverman (2016-17); and Policing Minister Kit Malthouse (2017-18)*.
Who are the Current Members of the ERG?
ERG MPs 2020-21
1. Adam Holloway
2. Andrea Jenkyns
3. Andrew Bridgen
4. Andrew Lewer
5. Anne Morris
6. Bernard Jenkin
7. Bill Cash
8. Brendan Clarke-Smith
9. Chris Green
10. Craig Mackinlay
11. Crispin Blunt
12. Danny Kruger
13. David Jones
14. Dehenna Davison
15. Desmond Swayne
16. Greg Smith
17. Iain Duncan Smith
18. Jacob Rees-Mogg
19. John Whittingdale
20. Jonathan Gullis
21. Laurence Robertson
22. Lee Anderson
23. Marco Longhi
24. Mark Francois
25. Michael Fabricant
26. Owen Paterson
27. Paul Bristow
28. Pauline Latham
29. Richard Drax
30. Robert Courts
31. Robin Millar
32. Sarah Dines
33. Sheryll Murray
34. Steve Baker
35. Tom Hunt
Three current ministers – including Leader of the House of the Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg – were listed as paid-up members in 2020-21. Alongside Rees-Mogg were Media Minister John Whittingdale, and Junior Transport Minister Robert Courts. This is despite the Ministerial Code banning ministers from becoming “associated with non-public organisations whose objectives may in any degree conflict with Government policy”.
Byline Times did not receive a response from the three ministers.
Lack of Transparency
Tom Brake, former Liberal Democrat MP and director of the campaign group Unlock Democracy, said that the ERG must be