A row has broken out in the People's Vote campaign after its chairman sacked two senior directors.

Roland Rudd, chairman of the campaign which wants a second referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, wrote to staff last night to tell them two directors were leaving and Patrick Heneghan, a former Labour executive director, would be the campaign's new chief executive.

The two directors, James McGrory and Tom Baldwin, disagree with the firings and are working as normal, while other members of the campaign have suggested Mr Rudd does not have the right to sack them.

Image: Roland Rudd decided not to address staff on Monday morning

Mr Rudd was due to address staff this morning but cancelled the meeting with 20 minutes to go, leaving the new chief executive to tell employees he would not be talking to them.

Mr Rudd instead appeared on Sky News' All Out Politics, where he denied claims he was being locked out of his office. Staff are said to be preparing for legal action for trespass.


Addressing some of the rumours, Mr Rudd told Sky News: "This is absurd.

"We shouldn't be involved in party politics, we are tantalisingly close to getting a majority of MPs to support a confirmatory vote on any deal and that is a remarkable achievement."

Mr McGrory is a former Liberal Democrat adviser, while Mr Baldwin used to work for Labour. Mr Rudd has been accused of pushing out Labour supporters and creating a Liberal Democrat campaign group.

Image: Alastair Campbell (L) has defended Tom Baldwin, who was sacked from his director role

Mr Baldwin told Sky News: "The key thing to remember is Roland Rudd can't sack anyone, he's only a chair of one of the organisations. It doesn't belong to any one person, let alone a PR executive who works miles away and rarely comes into our office.

"This is not a power struggle, it's a boardroom coup against the staff.

"I turned up to work this morning to fight the campaign and Roland Rudd cancelled my pass and there was a new person as chief executive.

"The staff don't find this acceptable. They have left the building. If Roland Rudd wants to do this via the media, it's his choice.

"He has ducked a meeting with his staff and launched a coup. Anyone who cares about Brexit and fought and marched with us should be disgusted."

PM to ask MPs to vote on a December general election

Asked why this had happened, Mr Baldwin suggested there was "usual vanity and status" but also a differing in opinion around a breakaway group which would back Remain.

Former Labour adviser Alistair Campbell was one of those who suggested Mr Rudd was operating out of his role by sacking the two directors, saying that he has "styled himself" as the chairman of People's Vote.

In an email sent to all staff on Sunday evening, Mr Rudd wrote: "The campaign has made huge strides forward in the last year coming from a fringe issue to the largest political campaign in the country.

"But now is the time to set our campaign on a more structured basis. So today we have appointed Patrick Heneghan as new acting CEO of the People's Vote to build on the work already done but with the aim to take the organisation to the next level as we prepare for the challenges ahead.

Image: Anti-Brexit campaigners on a People's Vote March in London

"At the same time James McGrory and Tom Baldwin will be leaving the organisation with immediate effect.

"I want to put on record my thanks to James and Tom for all their work. In difficult circumstances they have done a tremendous job. But as you will all understand the ongoing internal issues in the campaign have been allowed to carry on for too long."

:: Listen to All Out Politics on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Justifying his new appointment, Mr Rudd, whose sister is former Home Secretary Amber Rudd, told Sky News: "We need a positive campaign in terms of making the case, not just for a people's vote but why we are better in the EU."

One of the People's Vote team, who walked out this morning, said: "We want to get back campaigning for a people's vote and are happy to meet Roland whenever, whenever he deigns to meet us and explain why he's tried to sack two senior staff."

It’s easily the greatest privilege of my professional life to be part of such an amazing team at the People’s Vote campaign. All this fantastic group of dedicated and passionate professionals want to do - and all we’ve ever wanted - is to campaign for and get a People’s Vote. pic.twitter.com/VPy0KnOSEp — James McGrory (@JamesMcGrory) October 28, 2019

On Twitter, various staff members have also expressed frustration with Mr Rudd's insistence that he knows the team well and the timing of his television appearance.

Mr Baldwin said: "I see @RolandRudd is now on Sky News, preferring that to a meeting with People's Vote staff who have questions they would like to ask him."

Charlie Atkins wrote: "@RolandRudd told both the @FT and Radio 4 that he's constantly in and out of the People's Vote office and knows staff well. I'm in the office every day and I've never met him."

Abby Tomlinson, who works for the youth-led FFS, said: "Been here since June, not met or seen him once."