Gina tells resort Lib Dems to back Labour to oust Tory MP

31st October 2019

Veteran Southport journalist Martin Hovden writes: Pro-Europe campaigner Gina Millar (pictured) is urging Liberal Democrat supporters in Southport to switch their vote to Labour to oust Tory MP Damien Moore.

The London businesswoman has launched a website that reveals if Remain supporters vote tactically it will prevent a Conservative majority in the House of Commons and help stop Brexit.

And the website – tactical.vote – advises Lib Dems in the resort to switch to Labour, adding: “Look at the results of the previous election in Southport and then vote for a party that might not be your first choice, but is the one that has the best chance of beating the Conservatives where you live.”

And when you go to the Southport page on the website, it says: “Labour came in second place in this seat in 2017 and are likely to be the best-placed challenger in the December election.”

These are the 2017 results in Southport:

CONSERVATIVE 18,541 (38.66%)

LABOUR 15,627 (32.59%)

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT 12,661 (26.40%)

UKIP 1,127 (2.35%)

It will take just 3,000 Lib Dem supporters to switch to Labour to deny Pro-Leave Mr Moore a second term in office. However, it seems unlikely that Lib Dem bosses in Southport will back this plea – despite the fact that until Labour came second in the 2017 election they always urged Labour supporters to vote Lib Dem to stop a Tory MP being elected

Meanwhile, Terry Durrance, the UKIP spokesman in Southport, revealed yesterday they do not intend to stand in the December election and urged its supporters to vote Conservative.

But the Tories face a damaging blow if Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party decides to stand in the resort. Southport candidate Darcy Iveson-Berkeley told me yesterday they are hoping to make a final decision next week.