A GROUP campaigning for the country to remain in the European Union is calling on Wokingham borough voters to vote tactically for pro-Remain candidates in the December 12 General Election.
Wokingham For Europe, and its sister organisation Berkshire For Europe, is asking people to vote for the Liberal Democrat candidate in Wokingham and Maidenhead parliamentary seats, and to vote for Labour in Reading East.
A crib sheet prepared by Berkshire For Europe says Joshua Reynolds, who is standing for the Lib Dems in Maidenhead, is the only Remain alternative for that constituency’s voters.
In Reading East, they note that Labour’s Matt Rodda won the seat in 2017 and is “a dedicated Remainer”.
In Wokingham, it advocates supporting Dr Phillip Lee, noting that he is “our best chance to beat arch-Brexiter John Redwood”.
Vanessa Rogers, chair of Wokingham For Europe explained that the group is non-partisan, with a sole aim of keeping the country in the EU.
“We realise that this is a sensitive issue as people have varied voting positions,” she explained. “As a group, Berkshire For Europe’s main aim is to work to remain in the European union and we feel in this regard we are working within our own parameters.
“Normally we are non-partisan, however, our main role and goal before the General Election is to get John Redwood out and we feel our best bet is Dr Phillip Lee as he will appeal to those who may normally vote Tory but who do not like Johnson and his government or who have changed their minds on Brexit.”
As part of their campaign to support Dr Lee, the group will be holding one of their regular Brexitometer events in Wokingham town centre on Saturday, November 16, from noon to 3pm.
During the session, they will be inviting shoppers to place stickers to answer questions on a range of issues.
The group is not the only one to advocate voting for a candidate with a strong view on the European question.
The Brexit Party is not standing against Sir John Redwood, as they consider him to be a “Spartan Tory”, who wants to leave the European Union along lines they agree with.
