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| Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid Cymru reveal remain election pact | Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid Cymru reveal remain election pact |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Parties agree to stand aside in more than 60 seats to avoid splitting remainers’ vote | Parties agree to stand aside in more than 60 seats to avoid splitting remainers’ vote |
| Pro-EU candidates have said they are “putting party politics aside” at the launch of a pact under which they have agreed not to stand against each other in 60 seats at the general election to avoid splitting the remain vote. | |
| The Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green party said they would give voters one “remain choice” across England and Wales, with candidates standing aside in seats in Brighton, Exeter and Bristol, parts of London and the south-west, and 11 of Wales’s 40 constituencies. | The Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green party said they would give voters one “remain choice” across England and Wales, with candidates standing aside in seats in Brighton, Exeter and Bristol, parts of London and the south-west, and 11 of Wales’s 40 constituencies. |
| The project, called Unite to Remain and led by the former MP Heidi Allen, was launched more widely on Thursday after its initial success in the Brecon and Radnorshire byelection earlier this year. The Greens and Plaid Cymru stood aside for the Lib Dem candidate in that seat, ousting the sitting Conservative, Chris Davies, in the process. | The project, called Unite to Remain and led by the former MP Heidi Allen, was launched more widely on Thursday after its initial success in the Brecon and Radnorshire byelection earlier this year. The Greens and Plaid Cymru stood aside for the Lib Dem candidate in that seat, ousting the sitting Conservative, Chris Davies, in the process. |
| Allen, who is leaving politics at the election after spells with the Tories, Change UK and the Lib Dems, said: “This is a Brexit election, and staying in the European Union is possible, and this is the deciding moment. | Allen, who is leaving politics at the election after spells with the Tories, Change UK and the Lib Dems, said: “This is a Brexit election, and staying in the European Union is possible, and this is the deciding moment. |
| “We are putting party politics aside in the interest of our country and [we have] cemented a cross-party arrangement whereby remain-voting parties in England and Wales are working together to back one remain candidate. | “We are putting party politics aside in the interest of our country and [we have] cemented a cross-party arrangement whereby remain-voting parties in England and Wales are working together to back one remain candidate. |
| “With a single remain candidate in each of these seats, we can deliver a greater number of MPs into parliament. This is our opportunity to tip the balance of power away from the two largest parties and into the progressive remain alliance.” | “With a single remain candidate in each of these seats, we can deliver a greater number of MPs into parliament. This is our opportunity to tip the balance of power away from the two largest parties and into the progressive remain alliance.” |
| The Lib Dems will not challenge the Green party in Brighton Pavilion, which Caroline Lucas is defending. The party did the same in the 2017 general election. The Greens will also field the only “remain candidate” in eight other seats in England, and Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. | The Lib Dems will not challenge the Green party in Brighton Pavilion, which Caroline Lucas is defending. The party did the same in the 2017 general election. The Greens will also field the only “remain candidate” in eight other seats in England, and Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. |
| The Lib Dems are expected to benefit most from the arrangement, given the Greens will stand aside in 40 seats in England, and Plaid and the Greens will stand aside in three seats in Wales. Among the seats in England are Tory-held Watford, Esher and Walton, and Chelsea and Fulham. | The Lib Dems are expected to benefit most from the arrangement, given the Greens will stand aside in 40 seats in England, and Plaid and the Greens will stand aside in three seats in Wales. Among the seats in England are Tory-held Watford, Esher and Walton, and Chelsea and Fulham. |
| The Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, said it was only possible to build a brighter political future “if we are prepared to work alongside others”. Adam Price, the Plaid Cymru leader, said the strategy was “grownup politics”. | The Lib Dem leader, Jo Swinson, said it was only possible to build a brighter political future “if we are prepared to work alongside others”. Adam Price, the Plaid Cymru leader, said the strategy was “grownup politics”. |
| The Greens and Lib Dems will stand down in favour of Plaid in Arfon, Caerphilly, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Llanelli, Pontypridd and Ynys Môn. | The Greens and Lib Dems will stand down in favour of Plaid in Arfon, Caerphilly, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Llanelli, Pontypridd and Ynys Môn. |
| Unite to Remain said it had approached Labour about being part of the process, but had been rebuffed. Asked about the pact, the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said: “We will never enter pacts, coalitions or deals like that. Ever.” | Unite to Remain said it had approached Labour about being part of the process, but had been rebuffed. Asked about the pact, the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, said: “We will never enter pacts, coalitions or deals like that. Ever.” |
| After a speech in Liverpool, McDonnell condemned the Lib Dem role in the 2010-15 coalition government with the Tories. | After a speech in Liverpool, McDonnell condemned the Lib Dem role in the 2010-15 coalition government with the Tories. |
| “I’d just say this to those Greens and others who are getting into bed with the Lib Dems: I remember what the Lib Dems did when they were in government. I say, go and ask any disabled person in this country who went through the brutality of the work capability assessment,” he said. | “I’d just say this to those Greens and others who are getting into bed with the Lib Dems: I remember what the Lib Dems did when they were in government. I say, go and ask any disabled person in this country who went through the brutality of the work capability assessment,” he said. |
| Unite to Remain’s directors include the Labour peer and former cabinet minister Jim Knight and the remain-supporting QC Jessica Simor. | Unite to Remain’s directors include the Labour peer and former cabinet minister Jim Knight and the remain-supporting QC Jessica Simor. |
| Full list of remain candidates | Full list of remain candidates |
| England | England |
| Green party (Lib Dems standing aside) | Green party (Lib Dems standing aside) |
| Brighton PavilionIsle of WightBristol WestBury St EdmundsStroudDulwich and West NorwoodForest of DeanCannock ChaseExeter | Brighton PavilionIsle of WightBristol WestBury St EdmundsStroudDulwich and West NorwoodForest of DeanCannock ChaseExeter |
| Lib Dems (Green party standing aside) | Lib Dems (Green party standing aside) |
| BathBermondsey and Old SouthwarkBuckinghamCheadleChelmsfordChelsea and FulhamCheltenhamChippenhamEsher and WaltonFinchley and Golders GreenGuildfordHarrogate and KnaresboroughHazel GroveHitchin and HarpendenNorth CornwallNorth NorfolkOxford West and AbingdonPenistone and StocksbridgePortsmouth SouthRichmond ParkRomsey and Southampton NorthRushcliffeSouth CambridgeshireSouth East CambridgeshireSouth West SurreySouthportTaunton DeaneThornbury and YateTotnesTunbridge WellsTwickenhamWantageWarrington SouthWatfordWellsWestmorland and Lonsdale WimbledonWinchesterWitneyYork Outer | BathBermondsey and Old SouthwarkBuckinghamCheadleChelmsfordChelsea and FulhamCheltenhamChippenhamEsher and WaltonFinchley and Golders GreenGuildfordHarrogate and KnaresboroughHazel GroveHitchin and HarpendenNorth CornwallNorth NorfolkOxford West and AbingdonPenistone and StocksbridgePortsmouth SouthRichmond ParkRomsey and Southampton NorthRushcliffeSouth CambridgeshireSouth East CambridgeshireSouth West SurreySouthportTaunton DeaneThornbury and YateTotnesTunbridge WellsTwickenhamWantageWarrington SouthWatfordWellsWestmorland and Lonsdale WimbledonWinchesterWitneyYork Outer |
| Wales | Wales |
| Green party (Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru standing aside) | Green party (Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru standing aside) |
| Vale of Glamorgan | Vale of Glamorgan |
| Lib Dems (Greens and Plaid Cymru standing aside) | Lib Dems (Greens and Plaid Cymru standing aside) |
| Brecon and RadnorshireCardiff CentralMontgomeryshire | Brecon and RadnorshireCardiff CentralMontgomeryshire |
| Plaid Cymru (Lib Dems and Greens standing aside) | Plaid Cymru (Lib Dems and Greens standing aside) |
| ArfonCaerphillyCarmarthen East and DinefwrDwyfor MeirionnyddLlanelliPontypriddYnys Môn | ArfonCaerphillyCarmarthen East and DinefwrDwyfor MeirionnyddLlanelliPontypriddYnys Môn |