Jacob Rees-Mogg has been elected chair of an influential backbench group of Eurosceptic Tory MPs after promising to help Theresa May carry out the type of Brexit she originally promised.

The MP for North East Somerset will lead the European research group (ERG), which was formed to support Conservative MPs as the party delivers Brexit.

He has taken over the role after stints in charge by Suella Fernandes and Steve Baker, both of whom have now entered the Department for Exiting the EU as ministers.

In a statement, Rees-Mogg said he intended to support the principles of May’s Lancaster House speech from last year, which promised to leave the single market and end free movement. It comes at a time when hardline Eurosceptics are anxious to fight those in cabinet who prefer a softer Brexit.

“I am delighted to have been elected in succession to Suella Fernandes and Steve Baker who were both superb chairmen,” he said. “In this role I am keen to help the government implement the principles laid down by the prime minister, Mrs Theresa May, in her Lancaster House speech. It is especially important to achieve control of our laws, control immigration and achieve new trade agreements with other countries.

“The ERG speaks individually not with the collective view but has considerable support across the parliamentary party. As chairman I intend to be helpful, vigorous and supportive towards government policy of making a success of Brexit.”



Rees-Mogg has become a darling of Conservative party members and is tipped as a potential future leader because of his rightwing views on Brexit and other issues.

It emerged last month that he had a private meeting with the former Donald Trump adviser Steve Bannon in London to talk about how conservative movements can win in the US and UK.

Rees-Mogg spent more than an hour at the meeting in a Mayfair hotel with Bannon, who was at one point seen as Trump’s most influential adviser but has fallen out of favour after his comments reported in the book Fire and Fury.

