Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid agree 60-seat 'Remain alliance' election pact
2 min read
The Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Greens have agreed to step aside for each other in 60 seats in a bid to boost the chances of pro-Remain candidates being elected.
The three parties have signed off on the tie-up, which covers 49 seats in England and 11 in Wales, after months of talks aimed at thrashing out an anti-Brexit pact.
The agreement was struck under the 'Unite to Remain' banner, led by outgoing Liberal Democrat MP Heidi Allen.
The former Conservative told The Guardian: "With a single Remain candidate in 60 seats we will return a greater number of Remain MPs to Parliament. This is our opportunity to tip the balance of power away from the two largest parties and into a progressive Remain alliance."
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson said she was "delighted" that an agreement had been struck.
"We would like to thank Unite to Remain for making this possible," Ms Swinson added.
"This is a significant moment for all people who want to support Remain candidates across the country."
The Unite to Remain group will unveil details of the seats covered by the new tie-up at a press conference on Thursday.
The arrangement is modelled on the Brecon and Radnorhsire by-election, which saw both Plaid and the Greens step aside and Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds defeat the Conservatives.
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“The confirmation that the Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid have agreed a pact of this scale is one of the biggest stories yet of this election. Whilst the effects on constituencies will be big, it also had the potential to change the national picture too.
"The Lib Dems, as the biggest party in the pact, look likely to benefit and this enhances their chances of winning over 39.5 seats (so 40 in simple terms), a 5/6 (54.65%) chance with Star.
"It also has a big potential benefit for Plaid, who will get a run at seven Welsh seats, giving them a chance to beat their 2017 total of 4 seats. Star go evens (50%) that Plaid can win five seats or more and backers will be very pleased at this news.”
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