EU campaign group role for Shropshire MP Owen Paterson
A Shropshire MP has been named among the vice presidents of a campaign group aiming to change Britain's role within the European Union.
Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire and former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, is one of the 19 politicians named as vice presidents of the group Conservatives for Britain.
They join a further 21 founding members and two co-chairmen that make up the newly formed group, which features former Cabinet ministers and serving chairmen of prominent select committees.
Conservatives for Britain was founded in June by its Steve Baker, MP for Wycombe, and David Campbell Bannerman, MEP for East of England.
The group aims to secure fundamental change in Britain's relationship with the EU and considers the current terms of the UK's relationship to be untenable.
Steve Baker MP, co-chairman of Conservatives for Britain, said: "David Campbell Bannerman and I are delighted to announce the 40 vice presidents and founding members of Conservatives for Britain.
"Our senior public supporters range from MPs of the 2015 intake to MEPs and former Cabinet members.
"We are delighted to have the support of the President of the Conservative National Convention."
Mr Baker said the Conservatives for Britain mailing list included more than 115 MPs, 35 peers and over half of the country's MEPs. He said more than 750 people had signed up as activists, including former proposed parliamentary candidates, councillors and association officers.
Mr Baker said the vice presidents and founding members demonstrated the breadth of support for the Prime Minister's policy of fundamental change in the country's relationship with the EU.
"As we seek to underscore this vital renegotiation with a credible prospect of exit, we are grateful to all those who are making their support for change public," he said.
"We look forward to working with this growing team to secure the best deal for Britain."
