Pro-EU Labour MPs would lose seats to Liberal Democrats unless parties form ‘Remain alliance’, study finds

Exclusive: New analysis released as more than 70,000 people sign petition urging anti-Brexit parties to work together

Even Labour MPs who back a fresh Brexit referendum face losing their seats to the Liberal Democrats unless pro-EU parties form a “Remain alliance”, new analysis has found.

The Liberal Democrats would gain at least six seats from Labour in heavily Remain-supporting areas amid anger over failure of Jeremy Corbyn‘s party to fully endorse a second Brexit referendum, according to a major study for the Best for Britain group.

Labour MPs likely to lose their seats include Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner, Leeds North West MP Alex Sobel and Battersea MP Marsha de Cordova, who is the shadow disabilities minister.

Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Neil Coyle and Kensington MP Emma Dent Coad also look set to be ousted, as does Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan.

Dozens more seats that are currently held by Labour with a significant majority would come within touching distance for the Liberal Democrats, the study found. These include Hampstead and Kilburn and Vauxhall, which are held by Tulip Siddiq and Kate Hoey respectively.

The losses could be enough to cost Mr Corbyn an overall majority in a knife-edge election.

The analysis, which used responses from more than 15,000 voters, found that the Conservatives and Nigel Farage‘s Brexit Party would win up to half of the seats currently due to be stolen from Labour by the Liberal Democrats if they agreed to work together. On Sunday, Mr Farage said he would be willing to enter into talks with Boris Johnson if the Tory leadership frontrunner promised to deliver a no-deal Brexit.

While Mr Johnson has previously ruled out any electoral pact, the finding is likely to be seized upon by supporters of a “Remain alliance” as evidence that pro-EU parties must work together to take on the Brexit-supporting parties.

The issue has become a key dividing line in the current Liberal Democrat leadership contest between Jo Swinson and Sir Ed Davey. Ms Swinson is seen as more willing to work with the other parties than Sir Ed, who has insisted his focus is on winning seats for his party.

Naomi Smith, chief executive of Best for Britain, said: “If we want to stop Brexit, we must make sure pro-European MPs work together – it’s as simple as that.

“We cannot afford to lose internationalist Labour MPs, who have bravely fought both the government and their own party to defend their constituents against the damaging effects of Brexit. We’re in dire need of politicians with their values.

“Our data shows that without collaboration, some of the very best MPs are at risk of losing their seats. The joint pro-European forces must have their ‘Battle of Winterfell’ moment. Stop fighting each other – it will only play into the hands of Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage.”

Seats that the Conservatives currently hold but which would switch to the Liberal Democrats if Labour stood aside include Truro and Falmouth, Watford and Altrincham, the study found.

More than 70,000 people have now signed a Best for Britain petition calling on the pro-EU parties to work together.

The petition says: “The European elections should be a wake-up call to Remain party leaders in the UK. A general election could be on us as fast as these elections were. In 2017, Ukip quickly stood down for many Conservative candidates, while the progressive remain parties only managed an alliance in a few seats around the country.

“It’s only too obvious that Nigel Farage will construct a pact for his party to allow pro-Brexit Conservative candidates to win. This could mean that a Conservative Party, led by a hard Brexiter, could sweep to victory in a first past the post election on 30 per cent of the vote. We must not let that happen.”

Analysis for Best for Britain has previously revealed that Labour is on course to lose 40 per cent of its 2017 voters at the next election, with the majority switching to more staunchly Remain parties.

While Labour would still be the biggest party in the new parliament, the losses would leave it well short of an overall majority, meaning Mr Corbyn would likely have to strike some kind of deal with the Liberal Democrats.