The Mail on Sunday revealed its influence on the Government’s EU agenda

Up to six senior figures quit the Legatum Institute after it came to light

Most high-profile resignation was Shanker Singham, director of economic policy

The most high-profile resignation has been that of Shanker Singham (pictured)

A controversial think-tank accused of trying to drive Theresa May towards a hard Brexit was in turmoil last night after an exodus of top staff.

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Up to six senior figures have quit the Legatum Institute since The Mail on Sunday’s revelations about its hidden influence on the Government’s EU agenda.

News of the departures comes after claims that the institute’s supporters felt it was ‘tainted’ by its secret links to Brexit cheerleaders Boris Johnson and Michael Gove.

The most high-profile resignation has been that of Shanker Singham, its director of economic policy. Other recent departures also include Cristina Odone, the ex-Catholic Herald editor, and Danny Kruger, a former aide to David Cameron. We disclosed last November that Mrs May’s Government was effectively being held to ransom over Brexit by Mr Johnson and Mr Gove, who were being aided by the institute.

It helped them compose a secret missive to the Prime Minister telling her how to get a hard Brexit, and Mr Singham held a series of private meetings with Brexit Ministers and officials.

Eventually there were claims that the Civil Service, known to be cautious towards the UK’s exit from the EU, was being bypassed by an unaccountable organisation with its own political agenda.

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This newspaper’s disclosures led the Charity Commission to open an ongoing ‘compliance case’ to examine whether the Legatum’s trustees were running the charity in line with their stated objective of promoting education.

According to one source, Mr Singham left after being blocked from holding any more briefings with Ministers. There were also reports that his closeness to Mr Johnson and Mr Gove had led to tension with Legatum Institute chief executive, Tory Baroness Philippa Stroud.

Up to six senior figures have quit the Legatum Institute since The Mail on Sunday’s revelations about its hidden influence on the Government’s EU agenda

The institute strongly denied both claims last night.

It is the second exodus at the organisation in two years – up to half of its 20-strong staff left in a ‘purge’ when Baroness Stroud, a close ally of Brexit hardliner Iain Duncan Smith, took over in 2016. Her arrival led to the institute being described as ‘the hidden intellectual driving force behind the Government’s Brexit plans’.

A Legatum spokesman said: ‘It is entirely untrue to say that Legatum’s trustees stopped Shanker from briefing Ministers and Shadow Ministers.

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‘We are an educational charity and it is in our interest for our work to be widely used by as many people as possible for the benefit of the British people.’