Women’s Equality Party stands aside for Chuka Umunna in Cities of London and Westminster seat
The Women’s Equality Party candidate in the Cities of London and Westminster has stood aside for Liberal Democrat – and male – rival Chuka Umunna.
Jenn Selby announced this morning that she was standing down to endorse his campaign, saying it was critical “to stop Brexit, which will disproportionately impact on women”.
Umunna, the former Labour MP for Streatham, praised Selby as “an inspirational campaigner for victims of sexual assault”.
Read more: Labour’s former star politician Chuka Umunna reveals his City pitch for the Lib Dems
He added: “The Lib Dems are committed to amending the Recall Act so that MPs found guilty of sexual harassment or violence by the new independent investigation process in parliament can be recalled by their constituents.
“We are also committed to sustainable funding for specialist services for victims of violence against women and girls – determined by need and not competitive tendering.”
The Liberal Democrats have already agreed a tactical voting strategy with the Green Party and Plaid Cymru in 60 seats.
Jo Swinson’s party has also confirmed it will not contest seats held by independent pro-Remain candidates including Beaconsfield, where Dominic Grieve is standing, and Anna Soubry’s old seat of Broxtowe.
However former Conservative minister Sam Gyimah has refused to stand down in Kensington, where he is up against Labour incumbent Emma Dent Coad, insisting Jeremy Corbyn is “a Brexiter”.
Yesterday he also suggested that Dent Coad was partly to blame for decisions that led to the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, in which 72 people were killed.
Read more: Lib Dem candidate Sam Gyimah tries to blame Labour rival for Grenfell tragedy
“Many things went wrong and, by the way, Emma Dent Coad was on the council and was part of all the discussions that went on in terms of cladding,” Gyimah said.
“If we are going to get into the blame game, it’s a very complicated one. To just say ‘of course it’s the Tory government’ – well, the council is responsible, and there were Labour councillors there who could have stopped some of the decisions and didn’t.”
Main image: Getty