Green Party stands aside in crucial seats to help keep Conservatives out

'Our political system is broken, and it makes no sense that parties with many common values stand against each other and let the Tories through', says candidate

Lib Dem leader Tim Farron campaigns in Oxford West and Abingdon, where the Greens will not stand a candidate (Getty)

The Green Party has confirmed it will not stand candidates in a number of crucial Tory-Lib Dem marginals, in an effort to help defeat the Conservatives.

A Green candidate in Oxford West and Abingdon, where the Lib Dems came second in the 2015 general election, has announced she will be stepping down after a meeting with local party members.

"As it is a marginal constituency, the Greens are prepared to support the progressive party that has the best chance of beating the Conservatives", said Cheryl Briggs.

“Under our electoral system, the Tories will win many seats where a majority of the voters in the constituency do not support them.

“Our political system is broken, and it makes no sense that parties with many common values stand against each other and let the Tories through."

In 2015, the Green candidate in Oxford West and Abingdon, Larry Sanders - brother of the Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders - received 2,497 votes.

The tactical redistribution of these Green votes could prove decisive in the marginal seat, which was controlled by the Liberal Democrats between 1992 and 2005.

Ms Briggs urged Labour to stand aside in the seat in order to further boost the Lib Dems’ chances.

The Green Party also announced on Saturday it would be standing aside in Richmond Park and Twickenham.

In Richmond Park, the Conservative candidate Zac Goldsmith, who triggered a by-election when he resigned over Heathrow expansion plans last year, is attempting to reclaim the seat he lost to the Liberal Democrats.

The Green candidate in Richmond Park won 3,500 votes in the 2015 general election – more than the Lib Dem's majority over Mr Goldsmith last November.

An exclusive poll for The Independent has shown that more than a third of people are prepared to vote tactically to keep out the Tories, in a move which might disrupt the Conservative landslide the polls are predicting.

The Greens have repeatedly called for a “progressive alliance” between left-of-centre parties to prevent a Conservative majority.

However, both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have ruled out this kind of coordination on a national scale.

The Liberal Democrats have said deals may be agreed on a local basis, while the Labour leadership has refused to enter into any kind of tactical pact.

Some Labour candidates have called for the party to work more closely with the Greens.

Former Shadow Cabinet members Clive Lewis and Tulip Siddiq put their names to a letter in The Guardian last week which called for Labour to stand aside in Brighton Pavilion, represented by Caroline Lucas, the Greens’ only MP, and the Isle of Wight.

“With the progressive vote split, the danger of a Tory landslide and all it means for our country now looms darkly on 8 June”, the letter states.

“We therefore urge the Labour leadership not to stand candidates in just two seats, Brighton Pavilion, the one seat the Greens now hold, and the Isle of Wight, the one seat where they are the best-placed party to defeat the Tories.”