A Remainer electoral pact will see the Green Party stand aside in Bermondsey and Old Southwark, while the Liberal Democrats will not stand a candidate in Dulwich and West Norwood.
The ‘Unite to Remain’ initiative announced today will see the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party agree upon a single ‘pro-Remain’ candidate in next month’s election in 49 seats in England.
Among them are Bermondsey and Old Southwark, where the Greens will stand aside in favour of the Liberal Democrats, and Dulwich and West Norwood, where the Liberal Democrats are to stand aside in favour of the Greens.
However, the defending Labour candidates for both seats, Neil Coyle and Helen Hayes, both campaigned for Remain in 2016 and voted against triggering Article 50.
The decision may yet tighten the race between Labour’s Neil Coyle and the Liberal Democrats’ Humaira Ali in the target seat of Bermondsey and Old Southwark.
The seat was previously held by the Lib Dems’ Simon Hughes until the 2015 election.
In 2017, the Green Party managed 639 votes in the seat – meaning there is some distance to go to overturn the 13,000 majority secured by Coyle at the last election.
In Dulwich and West Norwood, the Liberal Democrats secured 4,475 votes which may now go to the single ‘Unite to Remain’ candidate.
The Green Party co-leader, Johnathan Bartley has this morning announced that he will be the candidate standing to challenge incumbent Helen Hayes next month.
But with Hayes enjoying a solid 28,000 Labour majority, it looks unlikely for the seat to turn a different colour.
The full list of ‘Unite to Remain’ seats in England
Liberal Democrats standing aside for the Green Party:
Brighton Pavilion (Held)
Isle of Wight
Bury St Edmunds
Bristol West
Stroud
Dulwich & West Norwood
Cannock Chase
Exeter
Forest of Dean
The Green Party standing aside for the Liberal Democrats
Bath
North Norfolk
Oxford West & Abingdon
South Cambridgeshire
Totnes
Twickenham
Westmorland & Lonsdale
Bermondsey & Old Southwark
Buckingham
Cheadle
Chelmsford
Chelsea & Fulham
Cheltenham
Chippenham
Esher & Walton
Finchley & Golders Green
Guildford
Harrogate
Hazel Grove
Hitchin & Harpenden
North Cornwall
Penistone & Stocksbridge
Portsmouth South
Richmond Park
Romsey & Southampton North
Rushcliffe
South East Cambridgeshire
South West Surrey
Southport
Taunton Deane
Thornbury & Yate
Tunbridge Wells
Wantage
Warrington South
Watford
Wells
Wimbledon
Winchester
Witney
York Outer
A fixed election