James Chapman, the former chief of staff to Brexit Secretary David Davis, calls on politicians to jump ship and join new 'Democrats' party
ADVERTISEMENTThe former chief of staff to Britain’s Secretary of State for Exiting the EU has claimed that two serving cabinet ministers are interested in his idea of forming a new centrist ‘anti-Brexit’ party.
James Chapman, a former aide to David Davis and ex-Chancellor George Osborne, has told the BBC Brexit would be a ‘calamity’ as he stepped up his online campaign for a proposed ‘Democrat’ party, saying Britain’s impending departure from the bloc would spell demise for the conservative party.
Chapman, who was political editor at the Daily Mail newspaper before segwaying into politics, told the BBC that Brexit would “make Black Wednesday look like a picnic”.
Past time for sensible MPs in all parties to admit Brexit is a catastrophe, come together In new party if need be, and reverse it #euref19
— James Chapman (@jameschappers) 8 août 2017
According to Chapman, who quit the government before June’s snap election, said a number of serving, former and shadow cabinet ministers contacted him after he mooted his ideas in a series of provocative tweets this week.
He said there is an enormous gap in the centre of British politics at the moment, claiming that the two main parties had been “captured by their fringes”.
The proposed ‘Democrats’ party would hold another referendum on Britain’s EU membership in 2019, and Chapman called on Conservatives and others to jump ship and join up.