The Green Party have decided not to field a candidate in Oxford West and Abingdon following an pro-Remain electoral pact with the Liberal Democrats.
Layla Moran, Liberal Democrat candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon, who has a majority of only 816 (1.4%), responded to the news on Twitter and thanked the Greens and Cheryl Briggs, who is Chair of the Abingdon Greens, for supporting her.
“Thank you to @greenoxford and @CherylOxon for again standing aside at this election as part of @unitetoremain.”
“With just 816 votes between me and the Tory Oxford West and Abingdon is so so close. This is what pragmatic grown up politics looks like.
“Unite to Remain is about putting country before party. Each party has its proud history and views. That doesn’t change. But by this initiative we are stronger together.”
Agreements have been made across the country between the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party, and a list circulated this morning online shows 60 seats in total are involved.
Overall, the Liberal Democrats will benefit from having 43 seats where they don’t need to compete with either party. The Greens will have such an advantage in 10, and Plaid Cymru in 7.
The announcement was made at a conference held by ‘Unite to Remain’, an organization headed by Heidi Allen which aims to co-ordinate efforts between proRemain parties during the General Election.
Jo Swinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats, commented on the agreement. She said: “We are delighted that an agreement has been reached. We would like to thank Unite to Remain for making this possible.”
“This is a significant moment for all people who want to support remain candidates across the country.”
Although there was talk of a ‘progressive alliance’ before the 2017 election, nothing of this scale was agreed and parties only stood down for one another in a handful of seats.
The Oxfordshire Green Party retweeted the national Green Party’s statement, saying: “We can stop Brexit and stay in Europe, but to do so we need to work together.
That’s why we’re working with other parties to give voters one clear choice of Remain candidate in key seats across England and Wales.”
Heidi Allen told Adam Payne, senior reporter for Business Insider, “This isn’t a normal General Election… This General Election is all about Brexit… They [the parties] know this GE is the last chance to change the path that this country is currently on.”
The Green Party has come to an arrangement with Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats to field one candidate from a Remain party in selected seats in England and Wales for the upcoming election.
Liberal Democrat or Plaid Cymru candidates will step aside for the Greens in 10 seats. Co-Leader of the Green Party Jonathan Bartley said: “This is about recognising how damaging Brexit would be – for people and for the environment – and ensuring there is as much representation of Remain parties in the next Parliament as possible.”
Layla Moran, current MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, said: “A vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to stop Brexit,” adding that the party was the strongest pro-Remain party in the south east.”
