EU referendum: New Tory MPs 'sign respect pledge' to avoid civil war

The Conservatives' 2015 intake to the House of Commons are apparently signing a "respect pledge" in a bid to avoid party in-fighting over the EU referendum. The new MPs are reportedly agreeing to "come together" after the historic the ballot, which will be held before the end of 2017.

The letter will also commit the Tory parliamentary newbies to "more important things like building a stronger economy", according to The Times. Number 10 had not responded to a request for comment from IBTimes UK at the time of publication.

The move comes after six new Conservative MPs, including James Cleverly, Scott Mann, Craig Mackinlay and Royston Smith, revealed they would back a Brexit. But so far, no Tory big beasts, namely cabinet ministers, have explicitly come out as supporter for the UK breaking away from the EU.

The Leader of the House of Commons, Chris Grayling, has come closest after he declared remaining inside the 28-nation-bloc would be "disastrous" for Britain. Number 10 seemed relaxed about the Epsom and Ewell MP's comments in The Daily Telegraph, even after David Cameron decided ministers could only back a Brexit after his renegotiation with Brussels.

The development also comes after IBTimes UK revealed 600 Conservative councillors had signed up the Leave.EU campaign. The group, co-founded by Ukip donor Arron Banks, is one of the organisations hoping to win the official Brexit campaign nomination from the Electoral Commission.

The other is Vote Leave, the Eurosceptic group ran by lobbyist Matthew Elliott and a former special adviser to Michael Gove, Dominic Cummings. The latest opinion poll from ICM, of more than 2,000 people between 8 and 11 January, put "remain" six points ahead of "leave" (44% versus 38%, respectively).