This is a new beginning for the European Movement.

On Saturday I had the great privilege of being elected as the next Chair of the European Movement. As a committed pro-European, it is a great honour to have been chosen to lead the movement at the beginning of this new era in our relationship with our European neighbours.

The movement’s fundamental goal is unchanged: to bring Britain back into the European mainstream and build back our relationship with Europe, step by step. But it is clear that we face new threats and new opportunities on the road ahead.

This government has put its ideological hard Brexit obsession before the country’s interests. They have endangered the livelihoods of thousands and jeopardised our economic recovery. They have twice shown that they are willing to break international law, breaking the Northern Ireland protocol and putting the Northern Ireland peace process at risk.

The fight to hold them accountable for their disastrous Brexit will be won on the ground. For every household, every street and every community there is a story of how this government’s hard Brexit has failed the UK. As the European Movement we need to tell those stories loud and clear so that this government’s failures are plain to see.

To succeed we must grow and supercharge our grassroots movement up and down the country. We need European Movement members across the UK, making a positive case for a European future in their community. That is why I am asking all our supporters to join me and become members of the European Movement.

Together, we can restore the UK to its place at the heart of Europe.