EU referendum: High-profile Vote Leave members quit 'Brexit' group

Civil war among Out campaigners intensifies after Kate Hoey and Baroness Jones stand down

Eurosceptic Tory MPs and newspapers have also branded the deal “thin gruel” and “a joke” (EPA)

The civil war among Brexit campaigners intensified as Vote Leave was hit by two high-profile resignations and a rival organisation launched a scathing attack on its competence.

The Labour MP and former sport minister Kate Hoey stood down from Vote Leave, which had been regarded as the main group arguing for Britain to leave the EU.

Baroness Jones, the Green peer, also said she was withdrawing support because the group lacked “judgement”.

Infighting within Vote Leave has focused on its campaign director, Dominic Cummings, and its chief executive, Matthew Elliott.

A leaked email from its deputy chairman, John Mills, accused them of “generating more and more ill feeling” and warned “this kind of behaviour puts more and more damaging and unnecessary strain on everyone”.

In a letter to MPs, Arron Banks, the founder of the rival Leave.eu group, said they were “two of the nastiest individuals I have ever had the misfortune to meet”.

Asked about the letter, a Vote Leave spokesman said: “We wish Arron well.”