We’re back in business, claim the Lib Dems

Disaffected Labour voters abandon their party and suffer defeat in Jeremy Corbyn’s back yard

THE Liberal Democrats were “back in business” last night as the party was on course to beat both the Tories and Labour for the first time in a century.

As the European election vote was polarised between Remain and Leave voters, the Lib Dems seemed certain to finish second behind the Brexit Party.

Sir Vince Cable’s party picked up swathes of votes from disaffected Labour supporters, with a 13.5 per cent vote swing from Labour to the Lib Dems in early results.

Tory Remainers, including Lord Heseltine, also registered protest votes by backing the Lib Dems as the Party’s clear message in favour of staying in the EU proved its greatest strength. It comes after the Lib Dems gained more than 700 councillors and 10 councils in local elections earlier this month.

Sir Ed Davey, the Lib Dems’ home affairs spokesman, said: “If you add up all the votes of the Remain parties, there is a strong message. The Lib Dems are leading that Remain vote and have an awful lot to be pleased about.

“We have to ensure that no deal doesn’t happen and that the people have the final say on Brexit. I think we’re back in business.”

The Lib Dems, who only had one MEP before last night, already had seven MEPS by midnight, as its overall vote share increased by 12 percentage points on the last European poll in 2014. Overall vote share was 19 per cent for the Lib Dems and 15 per cent for Labour.

Lord Heseltine, the former Conservative deputy prime minister, confirmed that he voted for the Liberal Democrats after he was suspended by the Tories earlier this month for declaring that he would not vote for his own party.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, he said: “I did what I believed to be in the national interest, and it fulfilled a warning that I gave to my party many months ago that the Lib Dems would take a significant number of Conservative votes, which they have done.”

The party’s European election campaign manifesto could not have come with a clearer pro-europe message; controversially, it contained the words “b------s to Brexit” on the cover.

The Lib Dems’ biggest victory came in London, traditionally a Labour heartland in European elections, where the Lib Dems beat Labour into second place.

Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party were punished for their ambiguous message on Brexit, with staunch Remain voters choosing instead to vote Lib Dem, which has consistently campaigned for a second referendum.

The Lib Dems were not alone in having a historically successful night. The Green Party, whose environmental message has been boosted by the success of high-profile protests by Extinction Rebellion, recorded a three-point increase in its vote share to 12 per cent, winning four seats by midnight.

Meanwhile, Change UK could manage just 5 per cent of the vote in London, the most Remain-backing part of England.

Heidi Allen, the party’s leader, said Change UK was “down but not out”.

Chuka Umunna, the party’s chief spokesman, claimed the party suffered poor results because it was a new party, despite having formed it before the Brexit Party, which stormed to victory.

Had it not been for Change UK attracting some of the Remain vote, the Lib Dems would have had an even more successful night.

The Lib Dems’ overall vote share increased by 12 per cent, with Labour down 12 per cent.