Julie Girling urges LibDem vote in European election

Gibraltar’s former Tory MEP Julie Girling [pictured above left] has urged Remain voters to back the Liberal Democrats in the European Elections to stop Brexit.

Ms Girling served as an MEP for 10 years with the Conservatives but was ousted from the party ranks last year after she supported a vote in Strasbourg stating that not enough progress had been made in the first stage of Brexit negotiations.

She was elected twice to the European Parliament for the Conservatives for the South West and Gibraltar region.

She recently announced she was not going to join the Change UK team for the European Elections in order to “maximise the Remain vote”.

She said: “The Liberal Democrats scored a huge success in the UK’s local elections, gaining more than 160 seas across the South West.”

“I have respect for [Green Party’s] Molly Scott Cato and wish her well, but the facts are that the Lib Dems have always been a strongly pro-European party and are clearly the strongest remain party here.”

“Across the South West the Liberal Democrats have just elected more than six times the number of councillors in the local elections compared to the Greens and now have more than five times the number of seats.”

“The Lib Dems are very clearly the lead Remain party in the South West,” Ms Girling added.

“Brexit would be a disaster for the South West, but it is not too late to stop it.”

“I have no party political axe to grind here, I am simply responding to the large number of constituents who have asked me for advice when considering their vote.”

“In my view, the best way to get a People’s Vote to stop Brexit is to vote Lib Dem.”

“That will send a very clear message to Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn.”

“This is what I will be doing and I urge other Remain voters to vote Lib Dem to stop Brexit.”