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People's Vote senior figures forced out People's Vote campaign in chaos over sacking of senior figures
(about 4 hours later)
The power struggle within the People’s Vote campaign for a second EU referendum has intensified with two of the group’s most senior figures forced out. The People’s Vote campaign has descended into open chaos, with its head of communications pledging to turn up for work as usual despite seemingly being sacked by another senior figure.
On Sunday night James McGrory, the director, and Tom Baldwin, the head of communications, were asked to leave with immediate effect. Patrick Heneghan, the former head of campaigns for the Labour party, was appointed temporarily as People’s Vote’s acting chief executive. Tom Baldwin, who was previously Ed Miliband’s spokesman, was reportedly dismissed on Sunday night along with James McGrory, the director of the campaign, which is pushing for a second Brexit referendum. Patrick Heneghan, a former head of campaigns for the Labour party, has been appointed as acting chief executive.
The changes were made by Roland Rudd, the outgoing chairman of Open Britain, according to a report in the Financial Times. Open Britain is one the five organisations that make up People’s Vote. The dismissals were undertaken by Roland Rudd, the millionaire PR entrepreneur who chairs Open Britain, another of the five interlinked groups that make up the campaign, which has organised mass marches including one in London earlier this month.
It follows reports of a power struggle within the campaign for a second referendum, with PR executive Rudd forming a new company to oversee a remain campaign in the case of a second referendum. But speaking on Monday, Baldwin said Rudd did not have the authority to dismiss anyone.
Influential figures in the second referendum movement questioned the legitimacy of the sackings. Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spokesman and People’s Vote campaigner, tweeted: “Before people get too excited, a few facts … Roland Rudd is chair of Open Britain. He styles himself as chair of PV but this has never been agreed by all.” “He’s making the mistake that I think a lot of businessmen do when they dabble in politics, which is to think that because they have a certain title and a board they then own the campaign,” Baldwin told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Campbell claimed Rudd did “not have the right” to sack McGrory and Baldwin and appoint Heneghan as interim chief executive. “I’m planning to go into work, because we’ve got quite a busy week ahead.”
Stephen Dorrell, the chairman of European Movement UK, echoed Campbell in voicing concern about the legitimacy of the firings. He said: “Roland Rudd is chair of Open Britain; the People’s Vote campaign includes European Movement and other partners who were not consulted about untimely management changes in Open Britain.” Baldwin added: “The clue’s in the title – People’s Vote campaign belongs to the people, not just one businessman who is hardly ever seen in the campaign. I think he’s been in the office three or four times in the last 18 months. It’s really not for him to tell the campaign what to do.”
The changes follow major disagreements within the People’s Vote campaign that have been developing for months about the future of the movement’s direction and strategy. Adding to the confusion, Rudd later appeared to argue that Baldwin had not been sacked, just moved so Heneghan could be the “one person to be in charge”.
Tension has stemmed from Rudd’s desire to move the campaign towards a more pro-remain position, with the campaign directors focusing on winning over soft leave voters and undecided Labour and Conservative members of parliament. Baldwin “has an opportunity for a different type of role, which is allowing one person to take up the reins and actually lead this thing”, Rudd told Today, saying they “need to have a proper, civilised chat about it”.
Before people get too excited a few facts. The @peoplesvote_uk campaign is coalition of groups inc @OFOCBrexit @FFSake_ @OpenBritain @euromove and the Joint Media Unit. @RolandRudd is chair of Open Britain. He styles himself as chair of PV but this has never been agreed by all1/6 https://t.co/JW9dtOlZAj Rudd said one issue had been criticism within the campaign of Labour and the Liberal Democrats: “It’s not for us to write off any one particular party or any leadership.”
Roland Rudd is Chair of Open Britain; the People's Vote Campaign includes European Movement and other partners who were not consulted about untimely management changes in Open Britain which were announced tonight. https://t.co/AQYp1y9vvc The battle follows reports of a power struggle within the organisation, with Rudd forming a new company to oversee a remain campaign in the event of a second referendum.
Influential figures in the second referendum movement have also questioned the legitimacy of the sackings. Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spokesman who is a People’s Vote campaigner, tweeted: “Before people get too excited, a few facts … Roland Rudd is chair of Open Britain. He styles himself as chair of PV but this has never been agreed by all.”
Campbell claimed Rudd did not have the right to sack McGrory and Baldwin and appoint Heneghan.
Stephen Dorrell, the chair of European Movement UK, echoed Campbell in voicing concern about the legitimacy of the firings. He tweeted: “Roland Rudd is chair of Open Britain; the People’s Vote campaign includes European Movement and other partners who were not consulted about untimely management changes in Open Britain.”
The changes follow major disagreements within the People’s Vote campaign that have been developing for months about the future of its direction and strategy.
Tension has stemmed from Rudd’s desire to move towards a more pro-remain position, with the campaign directors focusing on winning over soft leave voters and undecided Labour and Conservative members of parliament.
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