Liberal Democrats beat both the Tories and Labour for the first time in 100 years as Change UK beg them to consider a party merger
- Sir Vince Cable’s party was set to finish second in terms of vote shares last night
- Meanwhile, predictions indicated Change UK were not to bag a single MEP
- Change UK’s MP Chuka Umunna said his party and the Liberal Democrats should form a pact to not stand against each other in the next general election
The Liberal Democrats were jubilant last night after their election surge forced Change UK to beg them for a merger.
Sir Vince Cable’s party was set to finish second in terms of vote share as it hoovered up thousands of pro-Remain votes across the country from the main parties.
It marked the first time that the liberals had beaten both the Tories and Labour in a national vote for more than 100 years.
Meanwhile, projections indicated Change UK would not bag a single MEP. But leader Heidi Allen said that the new centrist party was ‘down but not out’ last night.
Change UK MP Chuka Umunna said on Saturday that the two parties should form a pact not to stand against each other’s candidates in the next general election. And yesterday Mrs Allen, who left the Conservatives to join other breakaway Tory and Labour MPs, said she would go ‘one step further’. ‘I would like us to be in the same vehicle,’ she told BBC Radio 5 Live. Asked if she meant the same party, Mrs Allen replied: ‘Yeah, probably.’
Sir Vince Cable’s party was set to finish second in terms of vote share as it hoovered up thousands of pro-Remain votes across the country from the main parties
Change UK MP Chuka Umunna said on Saturday that the two parties should form a pact not to stand against each other’s candidates in the next general election
The Lib Dems were ‘cock-a-hoop’ at their expected performance last night, taking votes from Labour supporters angry at the party’s equivocal stance on Brexit.
Turnout was said to be higher in Remain areas than in Leave ones, meaning the Lib Dems were on course to do even better than predicted. At the last European elections in 2014, towards the end of the Coalition period, the Lib Dems performed disastrously – taking only one seat. The Greens also looked set to outperform Change UK last night.
In the weeks following its formation, Change UK figures were talking confidently of replacing the Lib Dems as the third party in British politics. But yesterday Mrs Allen admitted that it was more likely that her party would have to join forces with the Lib Dems.
With most results in, the Brexit Party had won the vast majority of council areas in England and Wales last night
‘I think we are sensible enough to know we can’t do it on our own,’ she said, adding: ‘I don’t know what the format will be, but will we be singing from the same hymn sheet? I would hope as a collective, let’s call us a collective, somewhere in the middle with other like-minded colleagues.’
Mrs Allen said that to be a ‘real insurgent force’, the alliance needs to be ‘brand new’ rather than a larger Lib Dem party.
She predicted that more Tory MPs could desert the party if Boris Johnson becomes prime minister, while Labour MPs may also defect if Jeremy Corbyn continues to refuse to commit to a second referendum.
However, she added that while the Brexit Party may do well in the EU elections it should not be part of any future Brexit negotiations.
‘I don’t think so. They need to earn some MPs to get that,’ she said.
Meanwhile, projections indicated Change UK would not bag a single MEP. But leader Heidi Allen said that the new centrist party was ‘down but not out’ last night