People’s Vote staff tell chairman to quit over fears he is holding back campaign

Staff previously said the campaign’s head of communications Tom Baldwin and director James McGrory have their “full and continuing support” amid an apparent power struggle in the group.

The campaign said on Tuesday afternoon that staff members passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Rudd by a margin of 40 to three, and also declared no confidence in Patrick Heneghan who Rudd appointed as acting chief executive on Sunday night.

McGrory, director of the campaign, said: “We are asking Rudd and Heneghan to quit because no-one, least of all the millions of people in the country who are desperate for us to succeed, can allow boardroom politics to overshadow the real politics taking place on Brexit.

“This has been a brilliant cross-party campaign and this is a crucial week in the fight to stop Boris Johnson forcing his Brexit on the people.

“We are ready to launch the biggest and most sophisticated tactical voting campaign this country has ever seen if there is an election.

“But Roland Rudd has chosen now to put a wrecking ball through the campaign, locked key staff out of the office and tied others up in legal threats.

“All we want to do is get back to campaigning for a People’s Vote.

“None of us chose to get into a fight with the Open Britain board.

“Instead, those seeking to disable this extraordinary campaign must now take responsibility for playing into Johnson’s hands.”

Rudd told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I want to make clear, there’s no row about the remain side and PV. Everyone knows where we stand on this.”