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Tory Right-winger Jacob Rees-Mogg has announced he is to quit as chairman of the Brexiteer MPs’ European Research Group.

The group, which helped block Theresa May’s EU withdrawal deal three times, will select a new leader in September.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who has been brought into the Boris Johnson’s inner circle as Commons Leader, made the announcement on his regular podcast.

The MP for North East Somerset, inset, said he had to leave to allow the group to be as effective as possible in holding the Government to its Brexit promises.

“I think it is better for a ginger [activist] group to be chaired by somebody who is not a member of the Government.

"I think people might worry I’d gone too native to run the ERG as effectively as a backbencher could,” he said.

Mr Rees-Mogg insisted he would not now have his “wings clipped”, that he believed Mr Johnson to be “deeply trustworthy” and that an extension beyond the October 31 Brexit departure date would be “inconceivable”.