Chuka Umunna will stand for Lib Dems in Tory-held seat at next election
2 min read
Chuka Umunna will stand for the Lib Dems in a Tory-held seat at the next general election.
The former Labour MP has been chosen as his new party's candidate in the Cities of Westminster and London constituency.
The seat is currently held since 2001 by Mark Field, who was re-elected with a majority of 3,148 in the 2017 election.
However, Mr Umunna - who is currently the MP for Streatham - hopes to capitalise on the fact that nearly 72% of voters in the seat voted to Remain in the EU referendum.
Mr Umunna told the Evening Standard: "I worked as a solicitor in the City and West End and I know they are the last places that should be represented by one of Mr Johnson’s MPs who has just voted to enable a no-deal Brexit.
“The City is the centre of international values, while the West End is home to our greatest creative industries. These centres are telling us that Brexit will be bad for them.”
Mr Umunna said he would not be standing in his current seat - which he has held since 2010 - because the Lib Dems had already chosen a candidate there.
The Liberal Democrats came third in the Cities of Westminster and London in 2017, nearly 14,000 votes behind the Conservatives.
Mr Umunna however believes his party’s success in the European elections has boosted the Lib Dems' chances of victory.
He said polling now has the seat as a two-horse race between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.
“I resigned from Labour primarily because of the party’s failure to oppose Brexit," he said. "Whilst it is important to win seats from Labour, it is also vital we win seats from Mr Johnson’s populist nationalist Tory party in order to stop Brexit and build a more liberal and inclusive Britain."
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