Lib Dems launch EU election campaign - 'Stop Brexit'; Party upset with Change UK - Polidicks

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/26/libdems-launch-eu-election-campaign-with-stop-brexit-message The Liberal Democrats launched their European election campaign on Friday in east London with a simple message, Stop Brexit, but expressed disappointment that there was not a single pro-Europe grouping. The party leader, Vince Cable, said it was a pity that Change UK, which launched its European election campaign last week as the anti-Brexit party, had ignored the Lib Dems’ offer to stand on a united slate. “We should be standing together,” he said. “The millions of people who want to remain would expect us to stand together. Porritt said it was a “concern” that other anti-Brexit parties had not come together on a united slate. “The Liberal Democrats extended the hands of friendship to Change UK and the Greens because we see this [Brexit] as an existential issue, but those parties didn’t want to meet with us.”

I do think that the presence of 3 anti brexit parties (Green, Lib Dem, TIG) will really hurt vs the single issue Brexit party. Also, the greens don't get enough votes to get MEPs normally and then the other two have baggage - the lib Dems from the coalition and TIG for being neoliberals.

its the People's Front of Judea and the Judean People's Front all over again

don't forget that you got Ukeep and Ukeep2 as well.

Labour hasn't decided yet whether its manifesto will include a commitment to a second referendum. If it does I will probably vote for them because they have the best chance of beating the Brexit Party for the #1 spot which will be a crucial part of the narrative after these elections. Otherwise, probably Lib Dems. Could vote for CUK but they have no other policies, whereas Lib Dems have Stop Brexit plus a generally agreeable set of other policies too

Despite being pro-remain, aren't majority of the CUK members former conservatives? I would expect outside of Brexit policies, they would have a general conservative lean?

No. Stopping Brexit is the only thing which they agree on, but that's it. I say it like CUK have any other policy .On the whole, the current CUK MPs edge more towards the right of centre and aren't into civil libertarianism as much. Vince Cable was open to forming a wide electoral pact for a future election as to not split the Remain vote -thanks FPTP - but the CUKs ruled it out. If this leaked memo on specifically targeting the LDs is correct, then they're planning on making no electoral pacts or alliances in any future election. From the get go they've decided to be anti-LD without offering the electorate any other policy or goal, whilst promising to be ~outside the paradigm of traditional politics~. As to why current MPs have made their own lifeboat instead of jumping ship: The LDs are still tainted by the coalition and are far from being as popular as they were circa 2009 Many CUK/TIG members aren't fully concordant with the LDs policies and current talking points and they'd be fish out of water Outside of preventing Brexit, the LDs have lost momentum & media presence when it comes to pursuing other goals Making a new group/party would be controversial, unique, and the MPs could use the controversy & attention to boost themselves personally farther ahead then they may joining an already established party

They're mostly former Center-leaning Labour with a few pro-EU, One Nation Tories thrown in. However, the few Tories seem to be more prominent (especially Anna Soubry), with the leader being former Tory Heidi Allen even though the group is 8/11 former Labour.

There's more former Labour but they're arguably closer to center-right than center-left.

I get the other attacks on CUK but what makes you think they don't really want to stop Brexit?

They're all somewhat experienced politicians and have to realise that they stand no chance in a FPTP system with such a shoddy launch and what seems to be a complete absence of strategy and effort. Their logo is bland and amateurish, they barely vetted some of their MEP candidates, have already had existing MPs pull off some pretty bad gaffes, and they can't even decide on a single name or even a colour to represent themselves with. As it is, they're only fracturing the remain vote, and while they're only polling in the low single digits in recent polls, every vote counts.

Lol, the Tories still haven't launched their campaign and are still hoping the elections can be cancelled https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48083407