UK POOL

London - 5 December 2019

1. European Parliament Member Annunziata Rees-Mogg approaching lectern at news conference

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Annunziata Rees-Mogg, European Parliament Member leaving the Brexit Party:

"This has not been an easy decision for any of us, but I think it's fair to say we all feel it's one we had no choice but to make."

3. Cutaway of members leaving Brexit Party

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Annunziata Rees-Mogg, European Parliament Member leaving the Brexit Party:

"The results in May assured at the end of (former British Prime Minister Theresa) May. They confirmed to remainer could not win the Tory leadership and become prime minister. (British Prime Minister) Boris (Johnson) won and surprised everyone with his (Brexit) deal in October. It wasn't perfect, but it was not May's surrender treaty. The Brexit Party instantly wrote it off. We were told as MEP's (Members of European Parliament) that if there were an emergency vote held in the European Parliament, we would be whipped to vote against supporting Boris's deal. But Boris's deal, the Withdrawal Agreement, the political declaration, give the UK the ability to leave unilaterally and returns our own sovereignty."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Lance Forman, European Parliament Member leaving the Brexit Party:

"We haven't even had discussions with the Conservative Party about what is happening today. The first they heard about it was the same time you (media) heard about it and we had issued a resignation letter to (Brexit Party leader) Nigel Farage first that we felt was the right thing to do. So, no, none of us have had any discussions whatsoever. On the second question, other MEP's will, you know, make their own decisions. You know, we have come to this decision independently. We've all arrived at the same destination. And, you know, we'll see what happens over the coming days. It could be that others, you know, feel sympathetic and decide that they want to follow us. We hope they do and we hope that many candidates around the country, standing for the Brexit Party, come to the same conclusion and wouldn't it be wonderful if even Nigel Farage realised that this was the best decision to get Brexit done."

6. European Parliament member Lucy Harris approaching lectern

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Lucy Harris, European Parliament Member leaving the Brexit Party:

"I am incredibly sad to leave many good Brexit Party people behind and resign the Brexit Party whip. Many of them are worthy candidates and incredibly accomplished people. Their PPC's (prospective parliamentary candidates) have shown some of the best of British who their instinct, perseverance and initiative which we much needed for the future. I can't say I haven't had a furious internal battle over not being able to help them more and to support their bravery in standing as candidates for the Brexit Party. But this election is unlike any other. A turning point in history and with an anti-Semitic Marxist at our doorsteps, quite literally, we have to channel our bravery in a very different direction."

8. Longworth approaching lectern

9. SOUNDBITE (English) John Longworth, European Parliament Member expelled from the Brexit Party:

"I sat on that campaign committee (2016 Brexit referendum campaign) with Boris Johnson. I sat in the bus with him going around the country campaigning for Brexit. I know that Boris Johnson leans very strongly towards the Brexit cause that he's committed to delivering it. His (Brexit) deal is not perfect. I would say that the Brexit deal that he's put forward at the moment equates a little bit better than 'Norway deal'. However, it has the potential to be a great deal and there's every possibility in the negotiations going forward, that that's what the outcome will be."

10. Wide of members at news conference

Four elected officials from Britain’s Brexit Party have quit and will back Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservatives.

The quartet have accused party leader Nigel Farage of putting Britain’s exit from the European Union at risk.

The four, who are among 29 Brexit Party members elected to the European Parliament, oppose Farage’s decision to field hundreds of candidates in the UK’s December 12 election.

The party is not running in 317 seats where the Conservatives are strong, to avoid splitting the pro-Brexit vote, but is fielding candidates in about 300 other constituencies.

One of the four, Annunziata Rees-Mogg, said at a news conference in London that leaving the party was not "an easy decision for any of us".

Farage’s party accused the quartet of being in cahoots with the Conservatives and noted that Rees-Mogg’s brother serves in Johnson’s government.