Unite to Remain
{{Short description|2019 UK general election campaign}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}}
{{Brexit}}
File:British remain alliance.png
Unite to Remain ({{Langx|cy|Uno i Aros}}){{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/Better_Gov|title=Gwil #FBPE #RevokeA50 #UniteToRemain 🚥 🌏 (@Better_Gov) | Twitter|website=twitter.com}} was a campaign and electoral pact during the 2019 United Kingdom general election. It involved three parties that supported remaining in the European Union: the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party of England and Wales, and, in Wales, Plaid Cymru. Its stated goal was to avoid the spoiler effect and maximise the number of MPs elected who would oppose Brexit.
In 49 constituencies in England and 11 in Wales, the pact led to only one of these parties standing a candidate. Of the 60 constituencies, 43 had Liberal Democrat candidates only, 10 had Green Party candidates only, and 7 had Plaid Cymru candidates only.{{cite web |title=The Guardian view on the Unite to Remain pact: a response to a failed system {{!}} Editorial |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/nov/07/the-guardian-view-on-the-unite-to-remain-pact-a-response-to-a-failed-system |website=The Guardian |access-date=7 November 2019 |date=7 November 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Nixon |first1=Matthew |title=Polling expert John Curtice makes prediction about Remain pact |url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/polling-expert-john-curtice-makes-prediction-about-remain-pact-1-6363288 |website=The New European |access-date=7 November 2019 |language=en |date=7 November 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Hymas |first1=Charles |title=Tories seek electoral watchdog inquiry into Remain electoral pact that threatens their seats |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/11/07/tories-seek-electoral-watchdog-inquiry-remain-electoral-pact/ |website=The Telegraph |access-date=7 November 2019 |date=7 November 2019}}{{cite web |title=Unite to Remain agreement |url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/unite-to-remain |website=Liberal Democrats |access-date=7 November 2019 |language=en |date=7 November 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Proctor |first1=Kate |title=Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid Cymru reveal remain election pact |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/07/lib-dems-greens-and-plaid-cymru-reveal-remain-election-pact |access-date=7 November 2019 |work=The Guardian |date=7 November 2019}} The seats covered by the pact included some defended by a Unite to Remain party, as well as target seats held by the Conservative or Labour parties.
Nine Unite to Remain candidates were elected (5 Liberal Democrats, 3 Plaid Cymru, 1 Green), which represented one gain and one loss compared to the 2017 general election results.
Details
Though there was no formal pact, the August 2019 Brecon and Radnorshire by-election saw the Greens and Plaid Cymru stand aside for the Liberal Democrat candidate Jane Dodds,{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/remain-pact-in-brecon-radnorshire-by-election-could-cut-new-pm-s-majority-to-three-7nnccxwzh|title=Remain by-election pact could cut new PM's majority to three|last=Devlin|first=Kate|date=2019-07-04|work=The Times|access-date=2019-11-10|language=en|issn=0140-0460}} who defeated the Conservative candidate by a small margin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2019-08-02/a-blow-for-tories-as-jane-dodds-wins-brecon-and-radnorshire-by-election/|title='Surely now he has to listen?' Newly-elected MP Jane Dodds says she will challenge PM to take no deal off table|website=ITV News|date=2 August 2019|language=en|access-date=2019-11-10}} This arrangement was mooted as being the basis for a wider-ranging "Remain Alliance".{{Cite web|url=https://leftfootforward.org/2019/08/parties-hail-success-of-remain-alliance-in-brecon-and-radnorshire-by-election/|title=Hopes grow for General Election 'Remain Alliance' following Brecon and Radnorshire by-election|date=2019-08-02|website=Left Foot Forward|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-10}}
The Unite to Remain group which brokered the pact was formed by the outgoing MP for South Cambridgeshire, Heidi Allen and former Liberal Democrat Treasurer Peter Dunphy in July 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.greenparty.org.uk/news/2019/07/10/green-party-responds-to-announcement-of-formation-of-unite-for-remain/|title=Green Party responds to announcement of formation of Unite for Remain {{!}} The Green Party|website=www.greenparty.org.uk|access-date=2019-11-10}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/2019/11/07/lib-dems-plaid-cymru-green-party-form-anti-brexit-electoral-pact|title='Unite to Remain': UK parties form anti-Brexit election pact|last=Tidey|first=Alice|date=7 November 2019|website=euronews|language=en|access-date=8 November 2019}} The alliance approached the Labour party at an early stage, but were rebuffed. The Labour peer Jim Knight was one of the directors of Unite to Remain.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/06/lib-dems-plaid-cymru-and-greens-launch-pro-remain-electoral-pact|title=Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Greens to launch pro-remain pact|last1=Walker|first1=Peter|date=6 November 2019|work=The Guardian|access-date=9 November 2019|last2=Stewart|first2=Heather|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} The group was registered as a "non-party campaigner" with the Electoral Commission in November 2019.{{Cite web|url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/TP10330|title=View registration – Unite to Remain|website=The Electoral Commission|access-date=2019-11-10}}
Seats were selected based on a targeted pooling of resources and only with the consent of local parties. {{citation needed|date=March 2021}} All the parties also support electoral reform.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/elections/2019/11/guide-remain-pact-between-liberal-democrats-plaid-cymru-and-greens|title=A guide to the Remain pact between the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Greens|last=Rea|first=Ailbhe|date=7 November 2019|website=New Statesman|language=en|access-date=9 November 2019}} Liberal Democrat activists in constituencies where their party stood aside were encouraged to either campaign for the Unite to Remain candidate there, or to campaign in a nearby seat.{{Cite web|url=https://www.libdems.org.uk/unite-to-remain|title=Unite to Remain agreement|date=2019-11-07|website=Liberal Democrats|language=en|access-date=2019-11-10}}
On 13 November 2019, Unite to Remain and the Renew Party announced that Renew would not contest any of the 60 Unite to Remain target seats.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/heidiallen75/status/1194620811149099009|title=Thank you @RenewParty|last=Allen|first=Heidi|date=2019-11-13|website=@heidiallen75|language=en|access-date=2019-11-14}}
List of constituencies
Incumbents marked in italics did not stand for re-election in that constituency.
Darker rows indicate constituencies where the Unite to Remain party won the previous election (the 2017 general election or the 2019 Brecon and Radnorshire by-election). The pact also covers three seats where, during the 2017–2019 Parliament, incumbent MPs defected from other parties to the Liberal Democrats.
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
| Constituency | Country
! colspan="2" |Unite to Remain party !Unite to Remain candidate ! colspan="2" |Incumbent party !Incumbent | Refs
!Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:#eaeaea;" |
| Arfon | Wales
| style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru | Hywel Williams
| style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru |
|Elected |
| style="background:#eaeaea;" |
|Bath |England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | |Elected | |||
| Bermondsey and Old Southwark | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | Humaira Ali
| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour | {{cite news |last1=Salisbury |first1=Josh |title=General Election 2019: 'Unite to Remain' pact agreed in Bermondsey & Old Southwark and Dulwich & West Norwood |url=https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/unite-to-remain-bermondsey-dulwich/ |access-date=7 November 2019 |work=Southwark News |date=7 November 2019}}
|Not elected |
| style="background:#eaeaea;" | | Wales
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | Jane Dodds
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |
|Not elected |
| style="background:#eaeaea;" | | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | Caroline Lucas
| style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | {{cite web |last1=le Duc |first1=Frank |title=Brighton Pavilion Lib Dem candidate stands down for second election running |url=https://www.brightonandhovenews.org/2019/11/07/brighton-pavilion-lib-dem-candidate-stands-down-for-second-election-running/ |website=Brighton and Hove News |access-date=7 November 2019 |date=7 November 2019}}
|Elected |
| Bristol West | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | Carla Denyer
| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour | {{cite news |last1=Cork |first1=Tristan |last2=Rogers |first2=Alexandra |title=Lib Dems will not field a candidate in Bristol West |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/lib-dems-general-election-pact-3511086 |access-date=7 November 2019 |work=Bristol Post |date=7 November 2019}}
|Not elected |
| Buckingham | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | Stephen Dorrell
| |Speaker | {{cite news |last1=Dean |first1=Sam |title=Liberal Democrat candidate 'grateful' The Green Party is stepping aside in Buckingham |url=https://www.buckinghamtoday.co.uk/news/people/liberal-democrat-candidate-grateful-the-green-party-is-stepping-aside-in-buckingham-1-9134274 |access-date=7 November 2019 |work=Buckingham Today |date=7 November 2019 |language=en}}
|Not elected |
| Bury St Edmunds
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Caerphilly
|Wales | style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru | style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour |Not elected | |||
| Cannock Chase | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | Paul Woodhead
| style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |
| Cardiff Central | Wales
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | Bablin Molik
| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour |
|Not elected |
| style="background:#eaeaea;" | | Wales
| style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru | Jonathan Edwards
| style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru |
|Elected |
| Cheadle
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Tom Morrison | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Chelmsford
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Chelsea and Fulham
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Cheltenham
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Chippenham
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Dulwich and West Norwood | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | Jonathan Bartley
| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour |
|Not elected |
| style="background:#eaeaea;" | | Wales
| style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru | Liz Saville Roberts
| style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru | {{cite web |title=The seats in Wales that are part of the 'Remain Alliance' pact |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2019-11-07/the-seats-in-wales-where-mps-are-part-of-the-remain-alliance-pact/ |website=ITV News |access-date=7 November 2019 |language=en |date=7 November 2019}}
|Elected |
| Esher and Walton
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Monica Harding | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Exeter | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | Joe Levy
| style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour | {{cite web |last1=Lloyd |first1=Howard |title=Liberal Democrats reveal they will not contest Exeter at general election |url=https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/lib-dems-reveal-not-contest-3511208 |website=Devon Live |access-date=7 November 2019 |date=7 November 2019}}
|Not elected |
| Finchley and Golders Green
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Forest of Dean
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green |Chris McFarling | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Guildford
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Zöe Franklin | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}" | |Independent | |Not elected | |||
| Harrogate and Knaresborough
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Judith Rogerson | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Hazel Grove
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Lisa Smart | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Hitchin and Harpenden
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Sam Collins | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Isle of Wight
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green |Vix Lowthion | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Llanelli
|Wales | style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru |Mari Arthur | style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour |Not elected | |||
| Montgomeryshire
|Wales | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Kishan Devani | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative |Not elected | |||
| North Cornwall
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Danny Chambers | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| style="background:#eaeaea;" |
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Karen Ward | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | |Not elected | |||
| style="background:#eaeaea;" | | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | Layla Moran
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | |Elected | |
| Penistone and Stocksbridge
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Hannah Kitching | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | |Not elected | |||
| Pontypridd
|Wales | style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru |Fflur Elin | style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour |Not elected | |||
| Portsmouth South
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour | |Not elected | |||
| Richmond Park
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Elected | |||
| Romsey and Southampton North
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Craig Fletcher | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Rushcliffe
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Jason Billin | style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}" | |Independent | |Not elected | |||
| Stroud
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour | |Not elected | |||
| South Cambridgeshire | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | Ian Sollom
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | {{cite news |last1=Gardner |first1=Gemma |title=General Election 2019: Green Party step aside for Liberal Democrats in Unite to Remain agreement |url=https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/general-election-2019-green-party-step-aside-for-liberal-democrats-in-unite-to-remain-agreement-9088698/ |access-date=7 November 2019 |work=Cambridge Independent |date=7 November 2019 |language=en}}
|Not elected |
| South East Cambridgeshire
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| South West Surrey
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Paul Follows | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Southport
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |John Wright | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Taunton Deane
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Gideon Amos | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Thornbury and Yate
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Claire Young | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Totnes
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | |Not elected | |||
| Tunbridge Wells
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Ben Chapelard | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| style="background:#eaeaea;" |
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | |Elected | |||
| Wantage
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Richard Benwell | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Warrington South
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Ryan Bate | style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour | |Not elected | |||
| style="background:#eaeaea;" | | England
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | Tim Farron
| style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | |Elected | |
| Watford
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Ian Stotesbury | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Wells
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Wimbledon
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Paul Kohler | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Winchester
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Paula Ferguson | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Witney
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Charlotte Hoagland | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Vale of Glamorgan
|Wales | style="background-color: {{party color|Green Party of England and Wales}}" | |Green | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative |Not elected | |||
| York Outer
|England | style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" | |Liberal Democrats |Keith Aspden | style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" | |Conservative | |Not elected | |||
| Ynys Môn
|Wales | style="background-color: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |Plaid Cymru |Aled ap Dafydd | style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" | |Labour |Not elected |
Pre-election analysis
Psephologist John Curtice stated that the pact could be critical in "half a dozen" seats that could have otherwise been won by the Conservatives.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/polling-expert-john-curtice-makes-prediction-about-remain-pact-1-6363288|title=Polling expert John Curtice makes prediction about Remain pact|last=Nixon|first=Matthew|website=The New European|language=en|access-date=2019-11-10}}
An analysis published in the Financial Times attempted to evaluate the potential impact of the pact. This analysis applied uniform regional swing based on polling (as of early November) to the 2017 result to estimate the parties' standings in the seats before the pact, then assumed that voters for parties standing aside would transfer their support as per the pact. The analysis found that in 18 seats the Unite to Remain party would not need the pact in order to win, in 39 the pact would be insufficient to secure victory, and in two (Brecon and Radnorshire and Winchester) the pact would make the critical difference between winning and losing for the Unite to Remain party.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/20dca3e8-0166-11ea-be59-e49b2a136b8d|title=Three anti-Brexit parties launch election pact in 60 seats|last1=Payne|first1=Sebastian|last2=Stabe|first2=Martin|date=7 November 2019|website=Financial Times|language=en-GB|access-date=8 November 2019}}
Other pro-Remain arrangements
In addition to the Unite to Remain pact, the Liberal Democrats did not stand candidates against the following anti-Brexit or "soft Brexit" supporting incumbents:
- Dominic Grieve (independent), Beaconsfield{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/10/30/lib-dems-will-stand-aside-dominic-grieve-polling-predicts-boris/|title=Lib Dems will stand aside for Dominic Grieve, as polling predicts a Boris Johnson majority|last=Jones|first=Amy|date=30 October 2019|work=The Telegraph|access-date=8 November 2019|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}
- Gavin Shuker (independent), Luton South{{Cite web|url=http://www.lutonlibdems.org.uk/2019/11/luton-liberal-democrats-put-country-before-party-by-standing-down-in-luton-south-for-pro-remain-independent/|title=Luton Liberal Democrats Put Country Before Party By Standing Down In Luton South For Pro-Remain Independent – Luton Liberal Democrats|website=www.lutonlibdems.org.uk|access-date=9 November 2019}}
- Anna Soubry (The Independent Group for Change), Broxtowe{{cite news |last1=Sandeman |first1=Kit |title=Lib Dems will not stand in Broxtowe against Anna Soubry, party confirms |url=https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/lib-dems-not-stand-broxtowe-3511936 |access-date=9 November 2019 |work=Nottingham Post |date=7 November 2019}}
All failed to be elected.
In Canterbury, the original Liberal Democrat candidate (Tim Walker) stood down in aid of the Labour incumbent Rosie Duffield, but the Lib Dems stood a replacement candidate.{{cite news |last1=Francis |first1=Paul |title=General Election 2019: Liberal Democrats line up new candidate Claire Malcolmson to replace Tim Walker in Canterbury|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/news/lib-dems-line-up-new-candidate-for-city-216166/|access-date=15 November 2019 |work=Kent Online |date=13 November 2019}} Duffield retained her seat.
In Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin, the SDLP and the Green Party in Northern Ireland all stood aside in certain constituencies to increase the chances of anti-Brexit candidates.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/04/sinn-fein-stand-aside-remain-candidates-three-constituencies-general-election|title=Sinn Féin to stand aside for remain candidates in three constituencies |author=Rory Carroll|work=The Guardian|date=4 November 2019|access-date=8 November 2019}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://unitetoremain.org/}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20191213100624/https://unitetoremain.org/ Archived site], 13 December 2019)
Category:2019 United Kingdom general election
Category:Defunct political party alliances in the United Kingdom
Category:European Union–related advocacy groups in the United Kingdom
Category:Green Party of England and Wales
Category:Liberal Democrats (UK)