Join Labour to put a stop to Brexit – urges Lib Dem Clegg

NICK Clegg has urged voters to join the Labour Party in his latest desperate plea to thwart the ‘national emergency’ of Brexit.

The former Liberal Democrat leader said that if people could not ‘stomach’ joining Labour, they should instead join the Conservatives and in any future leadership contest ‘pressure your MP to support a pro-Remain candidate’.

But he conceded that as a ‘lifelong card-carrying member’ of the Liberal Democrats he would not do so himself.

Writing in his new book How To Stop Brexit, which is published next week, Mr Clegg, pictured, said: ‘How, you may ask, is it possible to influence a political party? How can you make your views known to Jeremy Corbyn? Here’s how: join the Labour Party and make your voice heard. It may seem odd for a former leader of the Liberal Democrats – and someone who has fought against the illiberal habits of Labour all my political life – to advocate joining the Labour Party. And, as a lifelong card-carrying member of another party, I won’t be doing so myself.’

However, he suggested such a course for those who recognise ‘the importance of Brexit’, as well as voters who have never joined a party or who have considered joining Labour but ‘never got round to it’.

Mr Clegg, who gave a talk about Brexit at the Henley Literary Festival yesterday, later said that ‘what happens within the two larger establishment parties is of the greatest importance… so if you can’t stomach joining the Labour Party, if you are ideologically inclined in a Conservative direction in any event and if you also believe Brexit is the issue of our times, then joining the Conservatives is another route to make your views felt’.