Nick Clegg urges voters to join Labour or Tories to keep UK in EU

This article is more than 1 year old

Former deputy prime minister and Lib Dem leader, who has a book out next week, says Brexit is a ‘time of national emergency’

Nick Clegg’s intervention has angered at least one senior Lib Dem.
Nick Clegg’s intervention has angered at least one senior Lib Dem. Photograph: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex/Shutterstock

Nick Clegg, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, has urged voters to join Labour or the Conservatives if they wish to keep the UK in the EU.

The former deputy prime minister has admitted it is “odd” for him to encourage voters to join a political party other than his own, but he believes that Brexit is a “time of national emergency” and requires greater pressure on the two main parties.

Clegg’s intervention has angered at least one senior Lib Dem, who said Clegg should think about the good of the party instead of book sales.

The party source said: “Nick is not helping at a time when we could do with some message discipline.”

In extracts from his new book, How To Stop Brexit, due to be published next week, Clegg has called for those worried about Brexit to “make your voice heard” by joining the Labour or Conservative party.

In the book, he says: “How, you may ask, is it possible to influence a political party?

“How can you make your views known to Jeremy Corbyn?

“Here’s how: join the Labour party and make your voice heard.”

He continues: “At a time of national emergency, and for as long as parliament is dominated by Labour and Conservative MPs, it is undoubtedly true that what happens within the two larger establishment parties is of the greatest importance.

“So if you can’t stomach joining the Labour party, if you are ideologically inclined in a Conservative direction in any event and if you also believe that Brexit is the issue of our times, then joining the Conservatives is another route to make your views felt.”

More than 80% of voters backed either Labour or the Tories in the general election in June, the biggest proportion since 1970, as smaller parties such as the Lib Dems and Ukip were squeezed out. Clegg lost his Sheffield Hallam seat to Labour’s Jared O’Mara.

A Lib Dem spokesman said Clegg was making a wider point about the importance of Brexit but remained committed to the Lib Dems under Vince Cable.

“Pro-Europeans across the political spectrum should get involved and make their voices heard. The Liberal Democrats are the only party offering people an exit from Brexit.

“Nick is a card-carrying Liberal Democrat and of course wants people to join the party – he is making a wider point that pro-Europeans of all political stripes need to stand up and be counted,” the spokesman said.