The successor to Sir Vince Cable might currently be in another party

The successor to Sir Vince Cable might currently be in another party

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It appears Change UK might be about to undergo some fundamental change, The Guardian report that

Up to half of Change UK’s MPs are poised to leave the fledgling political party after its dismal performance in the European elections.

Change UK’s interim leader, Heidi Allen, and the former Labour MP Chuka Umunna, who is the group’s spokesman, have been advocating closer cooperation with the Liberal Democrats, and are among those thought to be considering defecting to the party.

Other MPs may also leave the party, potentially including the former Labour MP Luciana Berger, who was the face of Change UK’s launch event. The MPs are holding a meeting on Tuesday lunchtime and an announcement is expected later in the day.

Umunna conceded last week that the party had “made mistakes along the way”, and suggested pro-remain parties should “work together instead of competing”.

However, the Guardian understands a core of five Change UK MPs – out of the party’s 11 – including the former Labour MPs Joan Ryan, Chris Leslie, Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey, and the former Conservative MP Anna Soubry, are determined to continue as a separate party.

One party source insisted Change UK would go on to field candidates at the next general election and said the group had been working on a policy platform.

All of this makes me wonder if we’re about to see some new entrants in to the Lib Dem leadership race, the rules state

‘Nominations will close on 7 June, with the new leader to take over on 23 July. Nominees must be an MP, have the backing of at least 10% of the Parliamentary party (i.e. one other MP) and be supported by at least 200 members spread across at least 20 different local parties.’

Now we live in rather interesting times and it is possible, I’ve asked for odds to be put up on Chuka Umunna, Sarah Wollaston, and Heidi Allen to be added to the list to succeed Sir Vince Cable, the latter two have always seemed to me to be closer to the Lib Dems than the Conservative Party long before they defected to Change UK.

Nominations close this Friday for the Lib Dem leadership, if it is going to happen, the Change UK MPs needs to defect very soon.

TSE

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