Campaign group backed by Nigel Farage targeting £5m war chest in hard Brexit push

Eurosceptic campaigners are attempting to build a £5 million war chest in order to fight the "dilution" of Brexit and to see off pro-EU groups pushing for a fresh vote.



Leave Means Leave has said it aims to ramp up campaigning activities in a bid to push MPs towards rejecting Theresa May’s Chequers deal, which has been roundly disparaged by Brexiteers.

The Sunday Telegraph reports that the group has already raised around £100,000 in small donations from the public in the last week since Nigel Farage was unveiled as vice chairman.

The campaign is said to be planning a series of rallies across the country, as well as organising street stalls leafleting drives and advertising campaigns.

And they are reported to be preparing to directly challenge the campaign to keep Britain in the EU through a referendum on the final deal.

The former Ukip leader is due to address the first rally in Bolton on September 22.

He said: "The British people were asked to make a decision on our EU membership and they voted leave.

"The arrogant bullying EU were always going to fight us every inch of the way but the real problem is closer to home.

"Our political class do not accept our decision and every attempt is being made to dilute, delay or even overturn our decision.

"Our task is to mobilise the millions of alienated and angry voters and to get them to put real pressure on their MPs not to betray Brexit in the coming months.

"They need to know that if they do, they will lose their job."

LORD HESELTINE

Meanwhile former deputy prime minister and arch-Remainer Lord Heseltine has thrown his weight behind moves to give the public a fresh say on Brexit

The Tory grandee said a so-called 'People's Vote' was necessary to present either a second referendum, this time on the final deal, or another general election.

He said it was "very unlikely" that Theresa May would get a final deal reached with Brussels through the Commons.

"The Brexiteers have had two years in which to produce a position along the lines in which they believe and after two years they’ve produced absolutely nothing except a growing sense of panic," he told The Independent.

"At the moment there is no evidence there will be a deal – if there is, is there a deal that is acceptable to the House of Commons? It’s a huge question."

When asked specifically what his preferred option was, the former Cabinet minister said: "I think probably a referendum…

"It’s one or the other. Events will dictate which it is."