Political

Liberal Democrats stand down for Dominic Grieve in Beaconsfield

ITV reports of another high-profile recruit for the Liberal Democrats, fuelled by Brexit:

The former Loughborough and Charnwood MP Stephen Dorrell has joined the Liberal Democrats, urging other liberals in the Conservative Party and social democrats in Labour to now “break cover”. He was a Conservative MP for 36 years and served as a minister in the Margaret Thatcher and John Major governments.

In 2019 Dorrell left the Conservative Party and joined Change UK, where he stood in the European Parliament election for the West Midlands constituency, but failed to get elected.

Meanwhile, in other news of British politics being reconfigured by Brexit, the Sunday Times reports a significant piece of progress in forming a Remain Alliance at the next general election:

A leading Tory Brexit rebel has struck a secret deal with the Liberal Democrats in what is the first significant move towards the formation of a “remain alliance” at the general election.

The Liberal Democrats have agreed to stand aside to help former Conservative Dominic Grieve save his Beaconsfield seat, paving the way for a Brexit showdown at the ballot box…

Following talks with party bosses, Grieve’s Lib Dem opponent in Beaconsfield, Rob Castell, has agreed to stand down. This could pave the way for the Greens to do the same. Campaigners for a People’s Vote are also likely to urge Labour voters to hold their noses and back Grieve in order to maximise votes in parliament for a new referendum.

As confirmed by Rob Castell, the now former Liberal Democrat PPC for the seat:

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4 responses to “Liberal Democrats stand down for Dominic Grieve in Beaconsfield”

    • I know Dominic Grieves as somebody who did not just want to get the Sikhs in his constituency to vote for him, but actually worked in their interest. Dominic is a decent human being, and compared with the present Tory leader a left wing liberal radical.

  1. If I remember correctly the talkative Gyles Brandreth (one time Tory MP for City of Chester 1992-7) gives a very sympathetic and I feel accurate portrait of Stephen Dorrell in his book “Breaking the Code”. GB was I think the guy’s one-time PPS. Well worth a read by those of us who are truly fascinated about the stresses of doing politics for a full time job…. especially the entry about his general election count in 1992…..

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