George Osborne has led the condemnation of hardline Tory Brexiteers who are apparently being dubbed the “Grand Wizards”.
The former Conservative Chancellor responded to a tweet by BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg which suggested that the group of Tories, who met the Prime Minister at Chequers on Sunday, had a new nickname.
The title Grand Wizard was formerly associated with the leader of white supremacist terrorist organisation the Klu Klux Klan.
David Lammy tweeted: “The United Kingdom is currently being held to ransom by a bunch of wild-eyed hard Brexiteers who have inherited the name used by the heads of the Ku Klux Klan. Wake me up when this nightmare ends.”
And Tom Watson added: “These members of an out of touch elite are taking all of us for fools. In these volatile times you can be sure of one thing – whatever happens with the brexit negotiations, these men will prosper.”
On Sunday, Mrs May held “lengthy” talks with prominent Brexiteer backbenchers including Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and David Davis to discuss whether there was sufficient support among MPs for another vote on her withdrawal deal.
Ms Kuenssberg clarified her tweet shortly afterwards, adding: “just catching up on timeline, for avoidance of doubt, couple of insiders told me using the nickname informally, no intended connection to anything else.”
