British PM Theresa May faces rebellion from ‘Hard-Brexit’ group

British Prime Minister Theresa May is facing fresh rebellion from within her own party as a group of anti-European Union lawmakers join business people to launch a new ‘Leave Means Leave’ group to push for “hard Brexit”.

The new group aims for a so-called “hard Brexit” to get the UK out of the EU’s single market after the country voted to leave the European Union in a historic referendum in June.

The Eurosceptic Tory lawmakers want an end to the influence of Brussels on British laws and scrapping “free movement” migration across Europe, the ‘Sunday Telegraph’ reported.

The group, to be launched on Sunday, is being led by businessman Richard Tice, one of the leading figures behind the ’Leave EU’ campaign in the referendum, with the backing of other business figures, lawmakers and economists.

In the group’s launch report, it argues that Britain must pull out of the EU’s single market, even if no alternative trade deal has been struck with Brussels.“Let’s be clear: No deal is better than a bad deal,” Tice said.

He told the newspaper: “The British people made it clear that they wanted to leave the EU. There should be no compromise on this. The sooner we leave the more certainty and confidence for everyone.”

The new group, which has the support of at least six Conservative lawmakers so far, will add to the impression that concerns are growing among May’s colleagues over whether she will deliver full Brexit or some kind of compromise.

May has said she will wait until next year before triggering Article 50 of the European treaties, which would launch the formal two-year process for negotiating the terms of Brexit.

The group believes she should aim to complete the talks sooner. This would set Britain free to sign trade deals with countries outside Europe and would be a signal to the EU that the UK is serious.

The group warned that single market is “the world’s least successful economic zone”, which ties businesses up in regulations regardless of whether they trade with other European countries.

It argued that remaining in the single market would be a mistake after leaving the EU because this would mean the UK would still be bound to accept unlimited numbers of migrants, while British firms would all have to abide by Brussels law.

The group’s supporters include the Tory MPs Peter Bone, Adam Holloway and Peter Lilley; UK economists Ruth Lea and Ewen Stewart; and business figures Richard Smith and Patrick Barbour.

The Labour donor and businessman John Mills is also a supporter, with the Tory MEP David Campbell Bannerman.

A No. 10 Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister has been clear that she is going to get the best deal for Britain and deliver on the clear verdict of the British public.”