Heidi Allen threatened to quit as Change UK leader over Lib Dem row

[Celerity]

MP says she wanted remainers to vote tactically for rivals in some areas but was overruled

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/22/change-uk-leader-heidi-allen-threatened-to-quit-over-lib-dem-row

The Change UK leader, Heidi Allen, has said she threatened to resign during an internal party row over whether to endorse voting tactically for the Liberal Democrats in the EU elections. In a Channel 4 News interview, Allen said she had wanted to advise remain supporters to vote for the Lib Dems outside of London and the south-east but she was overruled by other party members.

“Had it been left to me, I would have absolutely advised tactical voting,” said Allen, the MP for South Cambridgeshire. She said that while her colleague Sarah Wollaston agreed with her, others did not. “I respect the views of my fellow group members and the majority was that they didn’t want to go that way, but it is something that still troubles me. I have no doubt that the British public will look at the tactical voting websites out there and make their own decisions.”

Asked by the journalist Cathy Newman whether she had threatened to resign, she said: “Yes. I did.” Allen denied her party was in disarray and said the D’Hondt electoral system used in the EU elections was “inherently complex”.

“Necessarily putting all the votes in one direction doesn’t always necessarily create the result that you want. If the next party further down in the polls isn’t still big enough to win a seat, you can end up, if you’re not careful, giving more votes to the Brexit parties,” she said.

snip

[T_i_B]

1. They will have to form an alliance with the Liberal Democrats

It's the only way forward for Change UK / TIG.

Won't be easy for them, but they appear to have little alternative.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Pity

In my constituency in 2017, the Green and National Health Action parties withdrew their candidates and supported the LibDem, and as a result we were one of the constituencies where a Tory lost their seat.

I think tactical voting is essential in our system. It can give disappointing results (2010 and the coalition) but so can non-tactical voting!

[T_i_B]

3. Change UK / TIG have split

Following their poor showing in the European elections, and internal disputes over co-operation with other pro-remain parties Heidi Allen, Chuka Umunna⁩,⁩ ⁦Gavin Shuker⁩, ⁦Luciana Berger⁩, Sarah Wollaston and my local MP Angela Smith have all left the party⁩

Link to tweet

[Celerity]

4. well they are done IMHO, that was short, I see no path for the 5 left to carry on

The remaining five MP's are former Tory business minister and anti-Brexit campaigner Anna Soubry, plus four former Labour MPs, Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie, Joan Ryan and Ann Coffey.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/04/change-uk-poised-to-lose-at-least-half-its-mps-heidi-allen-chuka-umunna-lib-dems

[T_i_B]

5. Chuka Umunna joins the Lib Dems after quitting Change UK

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48631116

Former Labour and Change UK MP Chuka Umunna has joined the Lib Dems. The Streatham MP told the Times he had been "wrong" to think "millions of politically homeless people... wanted a new option on the ballot paper".

"I also think I vastly underestimated the importance of having an infrastructure and existing relationships with voters," he added. He was one of six Change UK MPs to quit last week, after it gained only 3.4% of the vote in the European elections.

The pro-EU Lib Dems saw a surge in support in the same elections, coming second after the Brexit Party.

Former shadow business secretary Mr Umunna told the Times that the Lib Dems' success shows the potential for the party to be the "spearhead" of a "new progressive movement in this country".

A number of us have been on the same journey as Chuka Umunna since the referendum. Fed up of the tribalism, lack of pragmatism and at times rank dishonesty of the two main parties. Umunna's point about the importance of having an infrastructure and grassroots activists is also worth mentioning as something that Change UK (or the "Stronger In" campaign during the referendum) didn't pay nearly enough attention to.

[T_i_B]

6. Another ex-Change UK MP has joined the Lib Dems!

This time Sarah Wollaston.

[T_i_B]

7. My local ex-Change UK MP Angela Smith has joined the Liberal Democrats!!!

We'd heard rumours for a while, and it was an open secret that her husband had joined the party during the Brecon by election.

Odd to think that when I moved to this area Angela was a Labour MP, albeit one very much at odds with her party and her husband was my local city councillor.