Anna Soubry urged other Conservative MPs to defect to the new Independent Group today as she fought back tears to admit 'right wing, anti-EU' Tories had won the battle for her party.
The Broxtowe MP sensationally resigned alongside Heidi Allen and Sarah Wollaston today in an explosive new development of the group launched on Monday by a 'gang of seven' ex-Labour MPs.
Ms Soubry said 'the Conservative Party has been very good to me. I served in two government as a minister... you don't leave a political party that you've called home for many years without a considerable amount of heartache'.
She appealed to 'fellow one nation Conservatives' and 'like-minded Lib Dems' to 'please, come and join us' in breaking away from their parties. At a press conference in London, Ms Allen said she had been left 'feeling numb' by the state of the Conservative Party while Dr Wollaston said she had reached the conclusion she could neither stand again as a Conservative or ask people to vote Tory.
Ms Allen said a 'significant number' of other MPs in all parties were 'on the brink' of following the first 11 MPs to abandon their parties and join the new group.
In a move designed to cause the maximum damage, the trio made their leap less than an hour before Mrs May faced MPs in the bruising weekly session of PMQs - and on the same day she has to convince Brussels she can pass a Brexit deal.
Vowing to stand in the 'centre ground' in a damning letter to Mrs May the group said they could not remain in the Tories while it was 'in the grip of the ERG and DUP'.
They said Brexit has 'redefined the Conservative Party - undoing all efforts to modernise it' - and warning that the 'country deserves better' from its politics.
In an immediate response, Mrs May said she was 'saddened' by the decision and thanked the MPs for their 'dedicated service to our party over many years'.
The PM vowed the Tories would 'always offer the decent, moderate and patriotic politics' Britain deserved. She said delivering Brexit was 'never going to be easy' but insisted she was 'doing the right thing for our country'.
The move puts rocket boosters under the new political movement that was launched by a 'gang of seven' ex-Labour MPs on Monday. It is the biggest split in British politics since 1981 and could set in motion a total realignment of the party system.
Other MPs could quickly follow. Former Tory minister Philip Lee admitted today he had been asked to do so while, while ex attorney general Dominic Grieve said he only had no 'current' plans to switch.
Losing three MPs weakens Mrs
May's already feeble hold on the Commons and leave her even more dependent on her DUP allies to command a majority of MPs.
Even with the Northern Ireland party, she now has a majority of just eight - meaning rebellion of five MPs can defeat her.
Last night Joan Ryan became the 8th MP to quit Labour and join the group, warning under Jeremy Corbyn the party has become 'institutionally anti-Semitic'.
Chuka Umunna and Luciana Berger led the historic move on Monday when the 'gang of seven' broke away.
Sarah Wollaston, Anna Soubry and Heidi Allen held for a press conference (pictured) to explain their historic defection out of the Tories and into the new Independent Group today
The new Independent Group of MPs walked arm in arm from Parliament to the press conference held by the ex-Tory MPs today
Heidi Allen (left), Anna Soubry (second left) and Sarah Wollaston (second right) appeared at at the bar of the Commons today (pictured) after they made a sensational move to join eight former Labour MPs - warning the 'country deserves better' from its politics.
Mrs May (pictured today at PMQs) said she was 'saddened' by the MPs' decision and vowed the Tories would 'always offer the decent, moderate and patriotic politics' Britain deserved
Tory MPs including Heidi Allen (left) and Anna Soubry (right) have resigned to join the new Independent Group today. They are pictured with Independent Group ringleader Chuka Umunna in January
Sarah Wollaston (pictured with anti-Brexit protests last month) has also made the leap in a humiliating blow for Theresa May
In a damning letter to Mrs May, the group said they could not remain in the Tories while it was 'in the grip of the ERG and DUP' - adding Brexit has 'redefined the Conservative Party - undoing all efforts to modernise it'
Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Mr Corbyn's leadership to trigger the new movement on Monday (pictured)
A sensational poll by YouGov puts the new independent group in third place on 14 per cent - appearing to pull support from both Tory and Labour Mr Umunna was one of seven Labour MPs to quit on Monday with an explosive attack on Mr Corbyn for letting anti-Semitism and a culture of bullying infect their party.
After the move Mr Corbyn's own deputy warned more MPs would abandon the party if Labour fails to deal with a culture of bullying and harassment.
Tom Watson said he believed the decision of seven MPs to resign and set up a new Independent Group was 'premature' but he refused to condemn them as 'traitors' as he admitted he also no longer recognised parts of Labour.
Labour's second in command said the hard-left takeover over of the party had left it with an army of activists 'too easily tempted into the language of heresy and treachery'.
Announcing their decision at yesterday's sensational press conference, Miss Berger said: 'This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision.'
She added: 'For my part, I have become embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour Party.
'I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic.'
Sarah Wollaston, Anna Soubry and Heidi Allen held for a press conference (pictured) to explain their historic defection out of the Tories and into the new Independent Group today
The new Independent Group of MPs walked arm in arm from Parliament to the press conference held by the ex-Tory MPs today
Heidi Allen (left), Anna Soubry (second left) and Sarah Wollaston (second right) appeared at at the bar of the Commons today (pictured) after they made a sensational move to join eight former Labour MPs - warning the 'country deserves better' from its politics.
Mrs May (pictured today at PMQs) said she was 'saddened' by the MPs' decision and vowed the Tories would 'always offer the decent, moderate and patriotic politics' Britain deserved
Tory MPs including Heidi Allen (left) and Anna Soubry (right) have resigned to join the new Independent Group today. They are pictured with Independent Group ringleader Chuka Umunna in January
Sarah Wollaston (pictured with anti-Brexit protests last month) has also made the leap in a humiliating blow for Theresa May
In a damning letter to Mrs May, the group said they could not remain in the Tories while it was 'in the grip of the ERG and DUP' - adding Brexit has 'redefined the Conservative Party - undoing all efforts to modernise it'
Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Gavin Shuker, Ann Coffey and Mike Gapes left in rage at Mr Corbyn's leadership to trigger the new movement on Monday (pictured)
A sensational poll by YouGov puts the new independent group in third place on 14 per cent - appearing to pull support from both Tory and Labour Mr Umunna was one of seven Labour MPs to quit on Monday with an explosive attack on Mr Corbyn for letting anti-Semitism and a culture of bullying infect their party.After the move Mr Corbyn's own deputy warned more MPs would abandon the party if Labour fails to deal with a culture of bullying and harassment.Tom Watson said he believed the decision of seven MPs to resign and set up a new Independent Group was 'premature' but he refused to condemn them as 'traitors' as he admitted he also no longer recognised parts of Labour.Labour's second in command said the hard-left takeover over of the party had left it with an army of activists 'too easily tempted into the language of heresy and treachery'.Announcing their decision at yesterday's sensational press conference, Miss Berger said: 'This morning we have all now resigned from the Labour Party. This has been a very difficult, painful, but necessary decision.'She added: 'For my part, I have become embarrassed and ashamed to remain in the Labour Party.'I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic.'
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