Independent Group to bring contempt proceedings if government fails to publish no-deal Brexit papers within 48 hours

Theresa May warned of consequences of ministers 'going back on their promises' – made in the Commons two weeks ago

Independent Group MPs will bring contempt proceedings if the government fails to publish cabinet papers on the damage from a no-deal Brexit within 48 hours.

Both Chuka Umunna, a former Labour MP, and Anna Soubry, an-ex Conservative, warned Theresa May that the deadline – agreed in parliament two weeks ago – had to be met.

“If they don’t do so, we will immediately move to institute contempt proceedings against them in the Commons for going back on their promises,” Mr Umunna said.

Ms Soubry added: “This minister, with the agreement of the government, said, ‘We will give you these papers.’ These papers are really, really important.”

The threat follows Ms Soubry’s decision to delay a showdown on extracting the papers when the prime minister suffered her last Brexit defeat a fortnight ago, but only because of the promise that they would be published.

They are expected to show a huge economic hit from crashing out of the EU without an agreement, which some economists believe could match the recession after the 2008 financial crash.

A previous government analysis forecast that GDP would slump by 9.3 per cent over 15 years, and all Brexit scenarios would leave Britain poorer.

Mr Umunna, writing in The Independent, said: “Two weeks ago the Independent Group MPs had tabled an amendment (in the name of Anna Soubry) to force ministers to [publish the papers] but we withdrew it when they relented and promised to publish these papers before the vote this week.”

Ms Soubry, speaking on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire show said: “What they show is an impartial, honest appraisal of the grave dangers to our country in trade and economic terms if we leave without a deal. We believe that the public have a right to see those papers.”

Meanwhile, Mr Umunna acknowledged that he disagreed with Ms Soubry over the austerity policies pursued by George Osborne as Tory chancellor.

But, speaking on the same programme, he denied that represented a problem for the fledgling group, saying: “This is what makes our group different. Shared progressive values and, of course, we are going to have taken different positions over history.”

“Our country is divided and if we are capable – coming from different political traditions – of reaching consensus on policy, then we have got a much better chance of uniting the country than these old tribal parties where they often oppose for the sake of it.”

Mr Umunna also said the Independent Group had received tens of thousands of pounds in small donations since it was founded last week, but was unable to give an exact figure.

He confirmed that Sir David Garrard, a former major Labour donor, had made a donation but that he did not know how large it was.

Asked whether taking money from wealthy donors indicated that the new group was getting involved in “old politics”, Mr Umunna said: “There’s nothing wrong with being a rich man and there’s nothing wrong with having a social conscience.”

The new grouping needed funds to set up an infrastructure to take on “these two Goliaths, who are used to having it their way with the system rigged in their favour”, he added.