New Remain alliance set to announce 100 anti-Brexit candidates for a snap general election

With the probability of a snap general election this autumn continuing to rise, plans are being put in place to decide the future of 100 seats where a ‘Remain Unity’ candidate would be put forward by the Greens, Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru.

Nick Cohen, writing for the Spectator, reports that on Thursday it is expected that the Lib Dems, Greens and Plaid Cymru will agree a “non-aggression pact” in 30 constituencies where candidates will run under the “Unite to Remain” ticket, an additional title for each party already agreed by the Electoral Commission.

It will involve parties standing aside for the strongest candidate in each of the target constituencies.

Another tranche of 30 seats is expected to be announced on the 22nd August, with a final meeting on 6th September to decide candidates for 40 more seats.

This, Cohen says, will be the deadline for the Independents to also decide if they will join the pact.

The new alliance is also looking at whether a ‘Remain Unity’ candidate could stand against Brexiteers like Jacob Rees-Mogg, and even Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

The hard work has been carried out by Heidi Allen’s new “Unite to Remain” organisation, which has analysed polling and data for each constituency.

But so far the parties have been tight-lipped about their involvement, with the Greens claiming on social media they had not agreed to the plans.

Speaking to The New European last month, Heidi Allen said of her initiative: “We’re not going to agree on everything. But the near and present danger of Farage, Boris and no deal are so great that we can act as grown ups and behave very differently in ways that people wouldn’t expect us to. And for our voters as well – yes, that’s the ambition.”